Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I have not made that many tube style cakes, so figured this one was worth a try. This recipe was adapted from one I found on Cooks.com.

Cake:

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese
3 c. sugar
6 eggs
3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. sweetened flaked coconut
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour the tube (bundt) pan and set it aside.

Have the butter, eggs and cream cheese at room temperature before you begin.

In a large bowl, stir the butter until soft and smooth. Stir in the cream cheese, and stir until well blended. Next stir in the sugar 1 cup at a time, stirring each time until the mixtue becomes light and fluffy. Stir in the 2 tsp. vanilla. Now stir in the eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously. The mixture should become lighter and fluffier, with more sugar dissolved, with each additional egg.

After the last egg has been added, stir in the coconut until it is evenly distributed throughout the batter.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour this mixture into the butter mixture and fold it in quickly, just enough to incorporate it evenly without over-mixing.

Now spoon the batter, about 1/2 c. at a time, into the prepared tube pan. It should fill the pan about 2/3 full to 3/4 at most. Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Cake is done when a skewer comes out clean. When it is done, remove it from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto the serving platter by placing the platter upside down over the tube pan, then turning both over. The cake should fall out of the pan, ideally... :-) If it does not, then try and rescue any big pieces that may have stuck, so you can place them back onto the cake and hide them (and hold them in place) with the glaze we are going to add.

Glaze:

1/4 c. butter
4 oz. cream cheese
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 to 4 Tbsp. coconut milk
1/3 c. sweetened flaked coconut

Melt butter in small saucepan. Remove from heat and add cream cheese, stirring until they are mixed and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the powdered sugar 1/4 c. at a time, whisking or stirring so as to remove any lumps. Add vanilla. Put the mixture into the refrigerator to cool while the cake is baking and while it cools.

When the cake is cool, remove the glaze from the refrigerator. Add 1 to 4 Tbsp. of coconut milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until the glaze is the right texture to drip down the sides of the tube cake without being runny. Pour the glaze over the tube cake, then sprinkle with the 1/3 c. coconut.

This is one Yummy!! coconut flavored cake!

Variants:

1 - This cake is very sweet. You can make it less sweet by using unsweetened flaked coconut. You will have the same big coconut flavor while cutting down on the sweetness factor.

2 - Try using brown sugar instead of white sugar, or a blend of half white / half brown sugar, and toasting the coconut to give a different coconut flavor hit altogether.

3 - Coconut and lime go great together. I'm thinking the next time I make this, I'll add the zest of 1 lime to the cake, and make a lime and cream cheese glaze to sprinkle the coconut on.

Enjoy!

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

As I was rummaging around in the pantry, I ran across a can of sour cherries. As soon as I saw them, I remembered the sliced almonds in the fridge. So it seemed only natural to create something using this classic pairing of flavors.

These cupcakes have a great texture to go along with wonderful flavor. I especially like using sour cherries rather than sweet, as it adds a tangy accent to the sweetness. But I expect sweet cherries would taste great as well. Here's the recipe:

Cupcakes:

1 can (14 to 16 oz) sour cherries (not pie filling)
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. + 1 Tbsp. sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3/4 c. sliced almonds
6 Tbsp. milk and/or cherry juice

Preheat oven to 325F.

Drain the cherries, reserving the juice.

Cream together the softened butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. Stir the eggs in, one at a time, thoroughly mixing each one. When you are done the mixture should be light and fluffy, with the sugar granules almost totally dissolved. Add the almond extract and mix thoroughly.

Fold in the flour alternately with the liquid.

Now fold in the drained cherries and 1/2 cup of almonds.

Spoon the batter into paper-lined cupcake tins. Bake at 325F for about 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Remove cupcakes from oven, let cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the baking tin onto a rack to cool completely.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

While the cupcakes are in the oven, make the glaze:

Glaze:

1/4 c. butter
1-1/4 c. powdered (confectioner's) sugar
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2 Tbsp. cherry juice

Melt butter in a dish in the microwave, 30 to 45 seconds should be sufficient. Stir in 1 c. of powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add the almond extract and cherry juice, again stirring until smooth. Now add the remaining powdered sugar 1 Tbsp. at a time until the glaze is the right consistency -- not runny, but thinner than regular icing. Cover and set aside in a cool spot.

When the cupcakes are completely cool, spread each one with glaze. Sprinkle the glazed cupcakes with the remaining 1/4 c. or so of sliced almonds.

Tip 1: Save 2 Tbsp. of the cherry juice for the glaze. Then use what is left for the liquid in the cupcake recipe, adding milk to bring it up to 6 Tbsp. altogether. The cherry juice will give pink cupcakes with a more intense cherry flavor, and a slightly coarser texture than if you use just milk.

Tip 2: This can also be baked as a loaf cake. Put the batter in a 9x5" pan, greased and floured or lined with baker's parchment, and bake for about 1 hour. When it is cooled, drizzle it with the glaze and sprinkle almonds on top.

Enjoy!

Heavenly Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Finally, a pineapple upside down cake that lives up to expectations. This is an adaptation of a recipe I found at cooks.com, modified in the following ways:

• no maraschino cherries (pretty, but they just distract from the pineapple flavor)
• substituted almond essence for vanilla and changed the amount
  
• added a dash of cinnamon
  
• used unsweetened soy milk in place of regular milk
• used canned pineapple slices in their own pineapple juice -- no thick sweetened syrup
• melted the butter for the cake part
  

Here's the adapted recipe:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup unbleached all-purpose cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup plain soy milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp. almond flavoring (*)
1 20-oz. can pineapple slices in pineapple juice (10 slices)
2 Tbsp. of the pineapple juice from the can of pineapple slices

(*) Vanilla works too -- but try the almond if you have it!

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Place 1/2 stick of butter (1/4 cup) in an 8" square glass baking dish and place it in the oven that is preheating. Remove the dish when the butter melts, and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter. Now arrange pineapple slices evenly over the butter and brown sugar mixture. Cut the extra slices in half and place them on the sides of the dish. If there are still extras, cut them in quarters and place them in between the whole slices and in the center parts.

Combine the flour, white sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking powder in a mixing bowl, stirring until they are evenly mixed. In a smaller bowl, combine the milk, egg, almond flavoring and the 2 Tbsp of pineapple juice, whisking together until the egg is evenly incorporated. Melt the remaining half stick (1/4 cup) of butter.

Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted butter into the dry ingredients and stir just enough to moisten all of the flour mixture. Now spoon the batter into the baking dish, being careful not to disturb the arranged pineapple pieces.

Place the baking dish into the preheated 375° F oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake should be golden with the sides pulled away slightly from the sides of the pan, and a skewer put in the center should come out clean.

Let the cake cool for a few minutes, then turn it upside down onto a serving dish. Serve while warm. This cake really has a nice texture, and really enhances the pineapple with caramelized brown sugar and butter that is such a classic flavor. I suggest serving it with tea or coffee to accompany. Mmmmm!

Enjoy!