Coco Lemon Pound Cake

I’d read on a recipe group not long ago how to take a cake mix and make it more like a “bakery” cake.  It was an idea I thought I’d run with, even if NOT entirely, and the result was this lemon pound cake.

The instructions they gave for the conversion involve extra eggs, butter subbing for the oil and milk in place of water.  I wasn’t going to sub milk since milk has a tendency to make cakes rubbery unless other adjustments are made.  I had super large eggs, so I stuck with the 3 it called for, but I did substitute the butter for the oil as butter will tend to make a denser, less-airy cake; a texture I prefer, and it’s more pound cake-like in texture.

I wanted to do something a bit more interesting, so I made some crumbs and flavored them with lemon. Also had some toasted coconut left over from another days’ posting and figured that’d go really nicely as well–on top of the internal crumbs.

Tried sprinkling some of the crumb mixture in the bottom of the pan, but it didn’t produce the desired crumb-like topping.  It sort of became part of the cake, but that’s no tragedy, and I’m leaving out that step.

Instead, a better crowning glory for this heavenly cake was a confectioner’s sugar glaze, lemon flavored of COURSE and topped with additional toasted coconut.

I used a Bundt pan, but this can easily be made in a 9 x 13.  Just top with the crumbs and lightly toasted coconut and bake as per box directions for 9 x 13 pans.

Coco Lemon Pound Cake

Cake:

• 1 box lemon cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tsp lemon zest

Crumbs:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 cup flour

Pearly Lemon Icing:

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1-2 tbs light cream/half and half/milk -OR- fresh lemon juice

Additional ingredients:

• 1 cup toasted coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray or grease a Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan.  Set aside.


Prepare crumbs by mixing the melted butter, sugar and lemon zest.  Add enough of the flour to produce a crumb that holds it shape.  Set aside.


Prepare cake mix as per boxed directions, except in place of the oil, use the melted butter and add 2 tsp lemon zest.


Pour 1/3 of the batter into prepared pan.  Add enough crumbs so the crumbs are about 1/2-inch thick around the cake.  You will have crumbs left over, as this uses about 1/2 the amount made.  They keep and are handy, so cover and keep in fridge for future use.  Top with about 1/4 cup toasted coconut, then add the remaining batter on top of the crumb/coconut center.  Spread batter evenly.  Tap pan to release any air bubbles formed by banging the pan on a hard surface.


Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool in the pan 10 minutes.  Invert onto cooling rack to cool completely.


When cake is completely cool, mix glaze ingredients, adding cream a little at a time to produce a thick but pourable mixture.  Drizzle over cake and top with additional coconut.


Makes 12-16 servings


NOTE:  We tried this tonight (3/6) and it was to DIE for!!!

Coco Lemon Pound Cake

Coco Lemon Pound Cake

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