Coconut Pound Cake

We are having some friends over this afternoon for dinner and I thought well you can't have dinner without dessert.  I opted for a pound cake.  They are simple, easy and oh so delicious.  There is a lot of things that you can do with this recipe by changing the flavor by switching out the vanilla with another flavoring.


1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs, at room temperature
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
6 ounces flaked coconut

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs 1 at a time.  Add the flour, baking soda, salt, sour cream and vanilla; mix well.  Stir in the coconut.  Spoon into a greased and floured tube pan.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-1/4 hours.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove cake to a wire rack to cook completely.