Louisiana Crunch Cake
from https://www.southernliving.com/

Louisiana crunch cake is a Southern dessert staple. It’s a moist yellow cake, glazed and topped with nuts, that derives its characteristic flavor profile from flaked coconut and vanilla. Enjoy this coconut-topped cake with a fresh cup of tea or coffee for a delectable treat.

A true Southern delight, Louisiana crunch cake is buttery and sweet, with a layered flavor profile thanks to coconut, vanilla, and a divinely sweet glaze. Caramelized sugar along the crust elevates the flavor and texture, and the coconut garnish adds a nice pop of color. (Add toasted nuts on top, too, if you love crunch.)

One reviewer said they made this in a loaf pan. Others said it was a great cake to eat for breakfast, more like a pound cake.

Cake:
Cooking spray
2 cups, plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted and divided
3 cups (about 11 1/4 oz.) bleached cake flour (such as Swans Down)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (12 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup whole buttermilk

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups (about 6 oz.) powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 to 4 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream, divided

Prepare the Cake:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Heavily grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the sugar into greased Bundt pan; tilt and rotate pan until sugar fully coats all sides and bottom of pan.

Add coconut to pan: Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the coconut around bottom of sugar-coated Bundt pan. Set aside.

Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until no lumps remain.

Cream butter and sugar: Beat butter and remaining 2 cups sugar with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add eggs: Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on medium speed until just combined, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

Add sour cream: Add sour cream and vanilla to mixer; beat on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds.

Finish cake batter: With mixer running on low speed, alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 additions, beating until combined, starting and ending with flour mixture.

Add batter to pan: Gently transfer Cake batter to prepared Bundt pan, making sure not to disturb sugar coating on bottom and sides of pan; spread evenly into pan.

Bake Cake: Bake Cake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of Cake comes out clean and top of Cake is a deep golden brown, 1 hour to 1 hour, 5 minutes. Cool Cake in Bundt pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

Cool Cake: Invert Cake onto wire rack, and let cool completely, 1 to 2 hours.

Prepare the Glaze:

Vigorously whisk together powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream in a medium bowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add remaining cream, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until glaze reaches desired consistency.

Drizzle Glaze: Immediately drizzle Glaze over cooled Cake. Top evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup coconut. Store Cake at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

1 12-cup bundt cake