waste not... coconut buttermilk pound cake

We are into the third week of the new year ... how are the resolutions going? In recent years, I have pretty much given up resolving to do anything. I'm one of those "I resolve to not resolve."

I will admit, however, to an ongoing desire not to waste. One item, my nemesis, which always gets only partially used, is that darn quart of buttermilk. I use one cup and then manage to forget about it in the deep recesses of the fridge. The inevitable dump down the drain occurs after it's waaay past due and is stinkysourclumpy


I decided to make a list of things to make with buttermilk and after doing a little googling found this great recipe.

I succeeded in using up the new year's buttermilk, baking through five loaves in two weeks. Each loaf was a variation on the original recipe, and the best loaf included White Lily flour and some vegetable shortening. It was particularly light and fluffy.

Coconut Buttermilk Pound Cake
from marthastewart.com

1½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 lrage eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, divided
1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted*, divided
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour a 5x9-inch loaf pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 8 minutes, scraping down bowl as neded. Add vanilla, then eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping dowl bowl. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two ½-cup additions buttermilk, and beat until combined. With a rubber spatula, fold in 1¼ cups toasted coconut.

Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 55-60 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 1 hour. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on rack. (Store at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, up to 4 days.)

Whisk together confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Drizzle over cake and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup coconut.

*Toasting coconut requires a bit of attention. I put it in the toaster oven and stir it around after about two minutes at 300º. The coconut tends to brown quickly, particularly near the edges of the pan.