Betty's Favorite Pound Cake

Betty's Favorite Pound Cake

yield 16 servings    bake 325 degrees

1 cup unsalted butter, softened (Land O Lakes)

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cups sugar

5 large eggs

3 cups King Arthur flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup whole buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. coconut extract

Frosting:

yield approx. 2 cups

1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter (Land O Lakes)
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1.  In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolks.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and golden brown, approximately 15 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in coconut and pecans.

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 10 inch tube pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.  Set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, beat butter and olive oil at high speed with an electric mixer until creamy, approximately 6 minutes, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Set aside.

3.  In another bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.  In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and extracts.

4.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 batches, alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.  Tap pan against counter to release any trapped air bubbles.

5.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Cover with aluminum foil, and continue baking until a wooden pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean, approximately 45 minutes longer.

6.  Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes.  Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.  Frost cake and store in an airtight container at room temperature.