Louisiana Crunch Cake

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan
• •Stand mixer with paddle attachment
• •Heavy-bottomed saucepan
• •Wooden skewers for poking holes
• •Pastry brush
• •Serrated knife for slicing

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare pan and oven

   Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 325°F. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan, getting into every crevice. This cake is dense and rich, and it will stick if you cut corners here. I've seen beautiful cakes ruined by lazy pan prep.

   Use a pastry brush dipped in soft butter to reach every ridge of a Bundt pan, then dust with flour and tap out the excess.
2. 2

   Toast coconut and pecans

   Spread coconut on one baking sheet and pecans on another. Toast in the preheating oven, stirring every few minutes, until golden and fragrant. The coconut takes 8 to 10 minutes and turns quickly, so watch it like a hawk. The pecans need 10 to 12 minutes. Let both cool completely. This step builds flavor you cannot get from raw nuts and coconut.

   Set a timer for every 3 minutes when toasting coconut. It goes from golden to burned in about 30 seconds.
3. 3

   Cream butter and shortening

   In a large bowl using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and shortening on medium speed until completely smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. The shortening gives this cake its tender crumb and helps it stay moist for days. Gradually add the sugar, beating on medium-high for 5 full minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and nearly doubled in volume. Scrape down the sides twice during this process. This is where your cake's texture is built, so don't rush it.

4. 4

   Add eggs one at a time

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated before adding the next. The batter should look smooth and glossy after each egg. If it starts to look curdled, that means your eggs were too cold or you added them too fast. It will come back together, but work slower with the remaining eggs.

5. 5

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed. This ensures every bite has the right balance of lift and structure. In a measuring cup, stir together the milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract.

6. 6

   Alternate wet and dry

   With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until each addition disappears before adding the next. Overmixing develops gluten and makes pound cake tough instead of tender. The batter should be thick, smooth, and fall in heavy ribbons from the paddle.

7. 7

   Bake until golden

   Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pan firmly on the counter three times to release air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan, and a gentle press on the top will spring back. Do not open the oven door for the first hour.

   Every oven runs differently. Start checking at 1 hour, but don't be surprised if it takes up to 1 hour 20 minutes for a proper bake.
8. 8

   Make the glaze while cake bakes

   About 15 minutes before the cake is done, start your glaze. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter completely. Add the sugar, water, and cane syrup. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Let it boil for 2 minutes without stirring, then remove from heat and carefully stir in the vanilla and coconut extracts. The glaze will bubble up when you add the extracts, so stand back.

9. 9

   Soak the warm cake

   When the cake tests done, remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes only. The cake must still be warm for the glaze to soak in properly. Using a wooden skewer, poke holes all over the top of the cake, going about two-thirds of the way down. Slowly spoon about one-third of the warm glaze over the cake, letting it soak in before adding more. Give it 5 minutes between each addition. The cake will absorb an astonishing amount of glaze.

10. 10

    Unmold and finish glazing

    After the cake has absorbed the first round of glaze, place a serving plate over the pan and carefully invert. The cake should release cleanly. If it hesitates, tap the bottom of the pan firmly. Poke more holes in this side and spoon the remaining glaze over the top and sides, using a pastry brush to spread it evenly into every ridge and crevice.

11. 11

    Apply the crunch coating

    While the glaze is still tacky, press the toasted coconut and pecans all over the top and sides of the cake. Use handfuls and press gently to help them stick. Some will fall off, that's fine. Catch them on the plate and press them back on. Work quickly before the glaze sets. The finished cake should be generously coated, showing more coconut and pecans than bare cake.

12. 12

    Rest before serving

    Let the cake cool completely at room temperature, at least 2 hours. This allows the glaze to set and the flavors to meld. The cake actually improves overnight as the moisture distributes evenly throughout. Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion to preserve the crunchy coating.

    Store loosely covered at room temperature. Refrigeration firms the glaze and mutes the flavors. This cake keeps beautifully for 5 days.

Chef Tips

• •Steen's cane syrup is the real Louisiana choice here, made in Abbeville since 1910. If you can't find it, dark corn syrup works, but order some Steen's online for next time. The flavor is deeper and more complex, with notes of molasses and caramel that commercial syrups can't match.
• •Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion. Cold eggs and milk will shock the butter and break your emulsion, leaving you with a heavy, dense cake instead of the tender crumb you're after. Set everything out at least an hour before you start.
• •Louisiana pecans from the papershell variety have a sweeter, more delicate flavor than the ones trucked in from elsewhere. If you have access to local pecans, use them. The difference shows in every bite.
• •This cake travels beautifully to potlucks and church suppers. The glaze keeps it moist and the coating protects it. Just transport it on the serving plate, loosely covered with foil.

Advance Preparation

• •Toast the coconut and pecans up to 3 days ahead. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
• •The cake actually improves if made a day ahead. The flavors meld and the texture becomes even more tender as the glaze fully saturates the crumb.
• •Unglazed cake layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before glazing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 200g)