Lemon Coconut Pound Cake
Growing up in Georgia, I was blessed to have my grandparents live close by to visit with. Lots of dinners and fun times. However, the one thing I will always remember about Grandmother is her incredible pound cake. She always had it sitting under a cake dome every time we visited. Here, I took her delicious recipe and updated it just a bit for a fabulous Lemon Coconut Pound Cake.
Remembering Grandmother
Maybe that’s why I love cake so much, because I ate SO much of this pound cake growing up. It was so delicious and lemony. Must admit, it was so hard not to go back for a second piece because it was that good. Thinking back, I don’t recall I was ever there when she made it????? But what I do remember is eating it. Mmmmmm…
What is it with southerners loving our pound cake so much? What’s not to love, right?
Bundt Pan
Grandmother always made this cake in a bundt pan and still have memories of walking in and seeing it sitting out on her counter. Of course, I couldn’t miss it. Also, what made this cake so good was the addition of a lemon glaze she poured on the top. Oh so delicious as it was the perfect touch to make this cake even more delicious and lemony.
I recall before I left for college, I requested one of her whole cakes for my birthday and she complied happily. I felt so special, as I got to eat this entire cake at anytime, woo hoo! Of course, always sharing with my family. Totally felt on top of the world and what a great birthday gift it was. Treasure that memory !
Giving It A Try
After I got married, I was given so many recipes as a new cook and baker. Without a doubt, I got Grandmothers Lemon Pound Cake, there was no way I wasn’t getting that piece of gold. Anxious to try my hand at making it myself, well that didn’t go so well initially. Going through the recipe step by step carefully but it just did not turn out like hers.
With that, I called her to ask what did I do wrong!!!!????? One thing I learned was I added way too much yellow color! WAT???? She laughed along with me and its fun to have that chuckle looking back. I had no idea what I was doing in the kitchen at that time. Honestly, I’m not sure what I did but it just never tasted like hers.
Years went by before I tried to make this again, it was like a challenge to me and I was so determined to get it right. Now, being a culinary school grad I thought, “Hey, I can do this.” I made it again and it was better but still not like I remember. Grandmothers must put their own spin on how they bake, don’t they? I regretted never watching her make it!
Redo-Lemon and Coconut
So this spring I was determined to get this right and maybe incorporate some of my own twists to bring out that lemon flavor that was so famous about hers and throw in some coconut flavor too. Her recipe used all purpose flour and I substituted some cake flour in there as well to really lighten it up. Coconut milk took the place of buttermilk for some additional moistness that paired well with the lemon coconut flavor profile.
Love the upgrade and I had a hard time not eating so much of it after it cooled. I think she would be proud.
Loaf Pan
Instead of a Bundt pan, I split her original recipe in half and bake it in a loaf pan for smaller servings. This serves two purposes: 1) So I don’t go crazy and eat all of it 2) Perfect for two to four people to munch on (two slices each per person of course). 🙂
Hope you will enjoy this yummy heirloom pound cake as much as I do. Eating this cake brings back many memories, including sitting at her table eating a slice of her delicious cake and remembering how happy I was eating and visiting with her.
Love Cake? Check out some of my other cake creations:
PrintLemon Coconut Pound Cake-Remembering Grandmother
Grandmothers recipe updated with fresh lemon flavor and coconut for soft and moist classic pound cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 people 1x
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
Pound Cake
- 1/4 cup crisco
- 1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Kool aid lemonade drink powder (From a small packet)
- 1 capful yellow food coloring (About 2–3 drops)
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 TBS milk
- 1 TBS butter (melted and cooled slightly)
Instructions
Cake
- Grease a loaf pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, and sugar for 2 minutes till light and fluffy on medium high, it will look almost white in color.
While that is mixing, combine the flours, baking powder, lemonade powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Add in the eggs one at a time and mix on medium low. Add the yellow color and extract and mix till combined.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix till combined, add the coconut milk and allow to mix in. Then add the remaining flour. Mix till well combined and thoroughly mixed.
- Pour batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake 55-60 minutes till fully done when toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool 15 minutes on a cooling rack.
- Carefully remove and drizzle over the lemon glaze.
Lemon Glaze
- Combine all ingredients and whisk well. Add more lemon juice and powdered sugar if needed to get to a nice glaze. Drizzle over the warm cake.
Notes
Double the recipe to make a Bundt Cake and bake about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Add 1/4 cup coconut to the batter for some texture to the cake.
