Sour Cream Pound Cake

The combination of vanilla, coconut and almond extracts creates an intriguingly delicious flavor. You can make this cake with only the vanilla, but try the recipe first as written.

• 11-1/4 oz. (2-1/2 cups) all-purpose unbleached flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, slightly soft (70°F)
• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 tsp. coconut extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup golden raisins or currants (optional)

Heat the oven to 300°F. Spray a large (10- to 12-cup) bundt pan with a nonstick coating and dust with flour.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended. With an electric mixer (I use the paddle attachment on my stand mixer), beat the butter until it’s very pale and little tails have formed. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat well until slightly fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until blended before adding the next. Add the extracts and sour cream; mix well. With the mixer on low, add the flour and mix until it’s almost incorporated but not quite. Switch from the mixer to a stiff rubber spatula and fold until the batter is well blended and smooth, taking care to scrape the bowl’s bottom and sides. Gently fold in the raisins or currants, if using.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it when inserted in the center, 60 to 75 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on pan size and depth, so start checking at about 50 minutes. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes. and then invert it onto a large plate or platter, tapping the pan to release the cake. Slide the cake onto a rack and cool completely before serving.