A Pina Colada Dessert Tribute

This recipe was inspired by the coconut balsamic vinegar I picked up at Olive & Kickin' in Asheville.  I wanted to do more than just use it as part of a salad dressing, so I thought it would be fun to saute some fresh pineapple with it to use as a dessert topping and what better to put it on than a spiced rum cake.  So here we are.  I hope you enjoy it.

Spiced Rum Pound Cake with Sauted Pineapple and Toasted Coconut Flakes

Spiced Rum Pound Cake

2 sticks butter (1 cup), room temp
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs, beaten
3-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1/4 cup spiced rum
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup roast almonds

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening until smooth.  I find this is easier to do if you cut the butter into smaller pieces first.

Gradually add in the sugar and mix until well-blended.

Slowly add in the eggs until mixture is smooth.

Mix the flour and baking powder in a small bowl, set aside.  Mix the milk, spiced rum and vanilla together, set aside.

Alternately add in flour mixture and milk mixture, blend until the batter is light and fluffy.  I usually add 1/3 flour -- 1/2 milk -- 1/3 flour -- 1/2 milk -- 1/3 flour.

Take your 1/3 cup of roast almonds and rough chop them in a food processor (or by hand).  After you have prepared your cake pan (I grease then flour mine), lay the chopped nuts in a thin layer in the pan.

Pour the batter over the nuts in the pan.

Bake for 60-65 minutes at 325 degrees or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from over and allow to sit for 5 minutes or so before removing from pan.

Sauted Pineapples

fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, chopped
coconut vinegar

Use 2 tbsp of coconut vinegar for every 1 cup of pineapple pieces.

In a skillet over high heat, cook pineapple pieces for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add coconut vinegar to the pineapple and continue to cook, stirring constantly.

Toasted Coconut

coconut flakes

In a small skillet over high heat, cook coconut flakes for 3-4 minutes or until they start turning brown.

Assemble

Cut a wedge of pound cake, cover with sauted pineapple pieces and garnish with toasted coconut and serve.


NOTES

FYI: 5 large eggs = 8 oz (1 cup), 7 large eggs minus yolk = 8 oz (1 cup) egg whites

If you want to use rum flavoring instead of actual rum then change the liquid measures to 2 tsp rum flavor, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 cup + 3 tbsp milk.

It's good to give the cake time to sit before depanning, otherwise if you rush the process and flip it out before it's had time to seize up a bit, it might split (like mine did).  The other reason mine may have split is because the cake baked up over the edges so it didn't have a flat bottom when turned, if yours is mounded when it comes out, you can always trim off the extra before plating.

You can order coconut vinegar online from Olive & Kickin' or check out a local specialty food store.  Whole Foods carries a brand and you can probably find some at Southern Season in Chapel Hill.

I found coconut flakes at Kroger, but most grocery stores will carry shredded or flaked coconut that you can use in lieu of.