Pineapple and toasted coconut cake + a very tedious movie

Spielberg will probably never be one of my favorite directors, but because I’m still in awe with the fantastic “Munich” I decided to give “Lincoln” a chance. One hour into the film and I was bored to death, one hour and 10 minutes into the film and I was sound asleep. O_O
All I could think was that the Academy Award Daniel Day Lewis took home should be on a shelf at Joaquin Phoenix’s house (or maybe in the bathroom or inside the refrigerator, Joaquin being Joaquin). :)

My husband watched “Lincoln” and actually liked it, so maybe I’ll give the film another go one of these days. I’m in no rush, though, because there are many other great movies to be seen. I will, however, rush you to make this absolutely fantastic cake that combine flavors that work really well together – toasting the coconut makes it even more flavorsome and it pairs beautifully with the pineapple chunks. Another winner recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks.

Pineapple and toasted coconut cake
from the delicious and foolproof Cake Keeper Cakes: 100 Simple Recipes for Extraordinary Bundt Cakes, Pound Cakes, Snacking Cakes and Other Good-To-The-Last-Crumb Treats

Cake:
1 ½ cups (150g) sweetened flaked coconut
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream*
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups (245g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 can (20oz/560g) pineapple chunks in juice, drained well and patted dry

Glaze:
½ cup (70g) confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preheat the oven to 180°F/350°F. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.
Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast until just golden, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. Keep the oven on.
Combine the eggs, sour cream and vanilla in a large measuring cup and lightly beat with a fork. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice if necessary.
On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions with the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat the batter on medium speed for 1 minute. Stir in the toasted coconut and the pineapple chunks.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze: sift the confectioners’ into a small bowl, then gradually add the lime juice, stirring until desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cake, then let the glaze set for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

*homemade sour cream: to make 1 cup of sour cream, mix 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream with 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk until it starts to thicken. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 1 hour or until thicker (I usually leave mine on the counter overnight – except on very warm nights – and it turns out thick and silky in the following morning; refrigerate for a creamier texture)

Serves 8-10