Coconut Lime Pound Cake Recipe

It’s hard to stay on top of food health claims.

A few years ago, experts insisted that coconut oil raises your cholesterol, causes diabetic complications and makes you fat.

Now nutritionists claim the rich, nutty oil maintains cholesterol levels, boosts your immune system and helps you lose weight.

Some coconut oil enthusiasts have gone so far as to claim this “miracle food” attacks intestinal microbes and cures cancer.

After receiving a free sample of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, I did some online research. I feel confident that this organic, traditionally processed coconut oil, high in lauric acid and antioxidents, is not only safe, but genuinely good for you. Which is a nice bonus because Tropical Traditions’ coconut oil is also delicious.

And coconut oil adds tremendous, authentic flavor to satays, curries and other South East Asian dishes, as well as an array of baked goods, including my Coconut Lime Pound Cake, below.

Buy organic, traditionally extracted coconut oil

To make the most of coconut oil’s nutrients and flavor, buy carefully. Most coconut oil is produced in large batches and extracted from dried coconut heated to temperatures that destroy much of the oil’s nutritional value. Cheaper coconut oils are often hydrogenated—injected with hydrogen to make the oil turn solid at room temperature—a process that creates dangerous trans-fats.

For the healthiest product, look for oil made in small batches from organically grown coconuts. Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil is made in the Philippines using a traditional “wet-milling process of extracting the oil from fresh coconuts.”

My Coconut Lime Pound Cake recipe is (very) freely adapted from a New York Times recipe. My version uses both coconut oil and grated coconut for deep coconut flavor. A glaze of lime juice and lime zest adds citrusy zing and keeps the cake moist: This is one of the only pound cakes I’ve ever tasted that manages to mix all the rich flavors of oil, egg and sugar without developing a dense texture and dusty crumb in your mouth.

Coconut Lime Pound Cake Recipe

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons Demerara or plain sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk
2 large eggs
Zest and juice of 2 limes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. With a plane or fine grater, grate and reserve zest from limes. Squeeze, strain and reserve juice.
3. Using 1 tablespoon coconut oil, generously grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
4. Prepare topping: In a small bowl, mix together the shredded coconut, 2 tablespoons sugar, zest of one lime and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, beat the coconut oil and 1 cup sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Toss in half of the remaining lime zest and beat until blended.
6. In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.
7. Blend the dry ingredients into the coconut oil/egg/sugar mixture in three additions: Begin and end with the flour mixture and alternate with buttermilk or milk. Beat well after each addition.
8. Spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with coconut/sugar/lime juice mixture. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and cake is golden brown, about 50-60 minutes.
9. In the meantime, prepare the glaze: In a sauce pan, mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar, remaining lime juice and lime zest and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer for one minute or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from flame and reserve.
10. When cake is done, remove pan from oven and place it on cooling rack. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of cake with glaze. Allow cake to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake and invert the cake onto the rack. Brush remaining sides and bottom of cake with glaze and cool until solid enough to slice.

Serves 10.