Vanilla-Coconut Pound Cake

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

1. 3 cups all-purpose flour
2. ½ teaspoon salt
3. ¼ teaspoon baking soda
4. 3 cups sugar
5. 1½ cups softened unsalted butter
6. 6 large eggs
7. 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
8. ½ vanilla bean split lengthwise and scraped, seeds reserved
9. 1 teaspoon coconut extract
10. Garnish: toasted shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325˚. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. In a separate large bowl and using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add the vanilla-bean seeds and coconut extract, and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove cake from pan, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Garnish with toasted shredded coconut, if desired.

Notes

1. To create the garnish, drizzle cake with melted white chocolate, and top with fresh currants.