Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake
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This Coconut
Of all the pound cakes I’ve made and shared with you, I had not even thought about a Coconut Pound Cake until this spring when two different readers asked about one. They both wanted a Coconut Pound Cake for Easter.
After a busy Track season, Boy Scouts campouts, and birthday celebrations, I finally got to perfect this Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake.
My most favorite recipe to make is pound cakes. I’ve made hundreds and shared over 30 with you. (You can find the recipes here, Pound Cake Series.) I do recommend you read How to Bake the Perfect Pound Cake as well as How to Calibrate your Oven to get the very best results for your pound cake baking.
Also, check out Big Beautiful Cakes.
Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Most often, I’m asked, ‘Did you accidentally omit the baking powder or baking soda’? One important note: traditional pound cakes did not contain baking powder or baking soda. They were leavened simply with eggs and is my preferred method of baking pound cakes. Baking powder and baking soda change the texture (crumb) of cakes as well as, inhibit getting that nice crunchy ‘crust’ that is so desirable on pound cakes.
Perfectly sweet and supremely moist Coconut
Pound Cake Baking Tips
- As indicated above, I sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the top. I then served the Pound Cake with fresh berries and whipped cream.
- You could frost it with Caramel Sauce or Cream Cheese Glaze and toasted coconut if you prefer.
- Brands I recommend: Philadephia cream cheese, Crisco solid vegetable shortening, and White Lily or Martha White flour. Pans and more recommendations here.
- I have found solid vegetable shortening and sugar instead of flour to be the best for coating the pan to prevent sticking. By using sugar instead of flour, you won’t have white patches on the cake. You can use flour if you prefer.
- If you use a bundt pan instead of a tube pan, make sure it’s a taller bundt, about 5 inches tall.
Pans and such
I bake my pound cakes on a cookie sheet to bake. Setting the pan on a cookie sheet may affect the baking time. As well, using a light versus a dark tube pan will affect baking times. For my cakes, I bake in a light pan on a round cookie sheet.
Your
I’m not a fan of non-stick spray for pound cakes. Some of the sides always stick pulling off that crust that I worked so hard to create. Instead, I like to use solid vegetable shortening and follow that with a dusting of granulated sugar. (Yes, sugar. Sugar doesn’t leave any white areas on the cake.) Alternately, I like the Wilton cake release. (When I started this pound cake series, I did use non-stick spray. However, after making so many and trying other methods, I do not use non-stick spray for cakes now. I have tried to go back and update those posts, but may have missed some.)
You can also find great recipes here
Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature, salted or unsalted, your preference
- ½ cup Crisco shortening
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted and measured correctly
- 1, 8 ounce package cream cheese (low or fat-free not recommended)
- 1 tablespoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 extra large eggs or 7 large eggs
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes sweetened, pulsed 4 to 5 times in a food processor
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a (10-inch, 12 cup) bundt or tube pan with solid vegetable shortening and sprinkle with sugar (or you can use flour). Alternately, you can use Wilton Cake Release.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer beat butter, shortening, and sugar together. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Next, add the cream cheese and blend until fluffy. Again stop the mixer and scrape down the sides.
- Add eggs alternately with flour, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down the sides.
- Blend in the coconut and almond extracts.
- Stir in coconut.
- Pour into prepared baking pan.
- Place pan on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 85 to 90 minutes. Test cake with a wooden pick or skewer. Cake is done when dry crumbs or no crumbs come out on pick when inserted into the thickest part of the cake.
- Cool on a wire rack 20 minutes before inverting on serving tray.
- Frost, if desired, and serve.*See posts for details
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
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Does the 1/2 cup of solid shortening go into the batter or is it just for greasing the pan.? Wanting to make this cake tomorrow looks real good.
The shortening and butter go in the batter. shortening to grease the pan is listed.
is the cream cheese at room temp or softened?
Well, Softened cream cheese, means that it is brought to room temperature.
Hi is there any other flowery alternatives you can use in your pound cakes ? We have gluten issues and cannot have anything with gluten in it. I was wondering if you had ever baked with coconut flour? It’s more dense. And almond flour may be too nutty? Thank you looks delicious can’t wait to try it
I have not tried gluten free flour, but I had a reader try and comment that hers turned out wonderful.
Is the flaked coconut sweeten or unsweetened?
sweetened
Sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes?
Like this recipe!! I’m gonna try it hope it comes really good!! I’m thinking to replace almond extract for coconut extract… I’m wanting that extra coconut flavor in it!! Can that be done? Thank you!!!..
Yes, coconut extract will be great in it.
This cake is crazy good! Even my family and friends that like coconut loved it. I got a email from my friend saying she was sorry for ever saying anything bad about coconut haha
The crust just adds to the yummy! My grandsons friend offered my $20 to make him his own 😉
I LOVE THIS!!! Thanks for sharing and I’m so happy you all liked it!
Hi Paula. You recommend using a 12 cup bundt pan. My bundt pan holds 12 cups of water to the top of the pan. Will this cause the cake to over flow? Thank you for your delicious bundt cake recipes!
Yes, your bundt pan will work.
I adore this recipe but I am allergic to coconut. Is there an alternative flavor I could use? Thanks!
Yes, you can use lemon, almond, or vanilla. I love almond flavoring in pound cake
Came out PERFECT – made it for Mother’s Day, and it was a total hit. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.