If I were going to make just one cake for Christmas or Thanksgiving, this would be it! Mile High Old Fashioned Coconut Pound Cake! It’s based on the Southern layer cake with fluffy yellow cake, 7-minute boiled frosting, and covered with fresh grated coconut.
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
10 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
7 minute frosting (recipe below)
14 oz frozen grated coconut, thawed
Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by fitting a parchment paper square between the two pieces and brushing with pan coat. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy. Add extract, salt, and 1/2 cup flour, beat until combined. Add 1 egg and beat in. Repeat with each egg, beating well after each addition. Add 2 cups of flour, beating until it just disappears. Slowly drizzle in half the buttermilk (about 3/4 cup) with the mixer running on low. Beat in the rest of the flour, then drizzle in the remaining buttermilk. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 15 seconds. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes. To unmold, place over a metal can, like those containing beans or tomatoes, and push down to remove outer piece. When cool enough to handle, lift or turn cake out onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Cover with frosting and press on grated coconut.
7 minute boiled frosting
5 egg whites
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar into a medium heatproof bowl and whisk to combine. Place bowl over a pot with 2″ of simmering water set to medium low and beat with a hand mixer until egg whites are glossy and form stiff peaks (about 7 minutes). Whisk in vanilla extract.