Olla-Podrida: Nordicware Bunny pan

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Coconut Bunny Cakes

I don't know what it is about Nordic Ware pans, but we just don't get along. Having seen little bunny cakes on other blogs, I caved and bought this Nordic Ware bunny pan. Because I'm taking lunch to my dad tomorrow, and because he loves coconut cake, I decided to make coconut pound cake bunnies. Well, it didn't work out exactly as I'd planned. With the exception of one or two, most of my bunnies looked like war victims. I did everything I possibly could have to keep them from sticking. I melted Crisco, I brushed it into the pan not once, not twice, but three times, then filled each cavity with sifted flour covering every nook and cranny, and tapping it out. I just knew these bunnies were going to pop out like beautiful little animals. No! I had to tap the pan on the counter, I had to tap it on the side, I inverted it, I "re-verted" it. I used a knife to encourage the bunnies out of the pan. Nothing. I tried to get some out while warm (that seemed to work better), then remembered reading somewhere that said allowing them to cool makes them come out easier. No! At any rate, you may have better luck than I did (as so many other people have), and end up with darling cakes. Me? Next year I'm going for the big bunny pan like this one.

On a positive note, the coconut cake was phenomenal! The best coconut cake I think I have ever eaten. In fact, it is the best pound cake I've ever eaten, coconut or otherwise. I tinkered with a couple of recipes to come up with this one, and, instead of icing mine, because I'm not a huge fan of super sweet icing, I made up a glaze and drizzled it over the warm cakes. It gave them a nice sheen, and an extra good taste. Then, I lightly dusted them with sifted powdered sugar. I cannot recommend this cake enough. If you decide to make mini cakes, like I did, you'll be baking them between 10 and 15 minutes less than you would if you were making an entire cake. Just watch them, when the edges turn light brown, and the cake springs back when lightly touched it's done.

Best Ever Coconut Pound Cake

3 sticks (1½ cups) butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

½ cup sour cream

½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coconut extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1¾ cups flour

2 cups flaked coconut

Coconut Glaze:

1 cup sugar

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon coconut extract

Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously (And I am talking GENEROUSLY!) grease and flour a Bundt or cakelet pan.

In a medium bowl, mix flour and flaked coconut; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, and at a time, and mix until light and fluffy. Add sour cream, yogurt, baking powder, and extracts. Mix well.

Add half of the flour mixture to creamed mixture and mix well; add remaining flour mixture and mix until combined.

Let cake batter rest for 5 minutes.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 60 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 25 minutes. Invert onto serving plate; coat with coconut glaze.

For the glaze: Mix ingredients together in a medium saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is melted. Pour on top of cake and let the glaze soak into the cake. Allow glaze to dry and then dust cakes with powdered sugar.

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