Coconut Pound Cake

By charlotteh371

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (6 oz), toasted and cooled

Preparation

Step 1

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
Butter a 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
Whisk together flour (2 cups), baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes with a stand mixer or 8 to 10 minutes with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in coconut gently but thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
Spoon batter evenly into loaf pan, smoothing top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of cake, then invert onto rack and cool completely.



Cooks' note:

Cake can be made 3 days ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.