Even though I eventually hounded Nannie out of all her secret pound cake tips, such as setting the ingredients out for an hour so that they’re all at room temperature and putting the cake into a cold oven and then heating it, I always know my own attempt will never measure up to the pound cake she makes.
It is the first item gone from the table at the church suppers I’ve attended with her. I love dessert, and in all honesty, this stands as the best dessert I have ever had.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese
¼ cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
3 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups cane sugar
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
Lemon Glaze (recipe follows)
First, measure and set out all the ingredients on the counter. Wait an hour before you begin since the butter, Neufchâtel cheese, and eggs must come to room temperature first.
In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, coconut oil, Neufchâtel cheese, and shortening well. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the sugar and flour and beat well. Add the vanilla and coconut extracts and beat well. Pour the batter into a buttered loaf pan or small Bundt pan.
Put the cake in the cold oven and then heat it to 325 degrees F. Bake the cake for 1 ½ hours or until golden brown. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it to a cooling rack. Pour the Lemon Glaze over the warm cake, and let it set for an hour before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
LEMON GLAZE
½ cup powdered sugar
½ tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
3 teaspoons 2% milk
Fine zest of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk together the sugar, butter, milk, lemon zest, and vanilla. You want a thick-enough-to-pour consistency in the end, so add a teaspoon more milk if needed.
Makes ¼ cup.