2023 Pound Cake Bake-Off Winners

— Written by Melissa Vaughn | March 29, 2023 (Updated: April 8, 2023, 6:25 a.m.)

Announcing the winners of the "Pound of Love: 4-H Pound Cake Bake-Off Contest!! Youth in Swain County entered in a pound cake baking challenge when they picked up grab-and-go kits from the N.C. Cooperative Extension of Swain County office. To kick start 4-Her's pound cake baking skills, the kits included several common ingredients along with a mini bundt pan. Youth could bake a small portion of their cake recipe in the mini bundt pan and submit this as their cake entry for the judges to taste. All entries were made from scratch. Entries were judged based on shape, volume, texture, color, and flavor.

We applaud all these youth for their wonderful efforts and use of skills in this second annual Pound Cake Bake-Off Contest.

Overall Best in Show
Rylan Anderson (age 10): Put the Lime in the Coconut Pound Cake

Winners by Age Groups

Cloverbud (age 5-7) 1st Place: Emma Gibson (age 7), Chocolate w/Chocolate Ganache
Junior (age 8-12) 1st Place: Rilyn Anderson (age 10), Put the Lime in the Coconut Pound Cake 2nd Place: Kacey Garland (age 8), Sour Cream Pound Cake w/Orange Glaze 3rd Place: Conner Johnson (age 9 1/2), Key Lime
Honorable Mention Michael Taylor (age 8), Banana Nut Pound Cake
All Other 4-H Entries Layla Shuler (age 5), Old Fashion Pound Cake Danielle Gibson (age 5), Key Lime Bundt Quinn Clayton (age 6), Strawberry Swirl Glaze Addi Smith (age 11), Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake Lily Robertson (age 11), Jelly Doughnut Pound Cake Elsie-Mae Clayton (age 10), Raspberry Glaze Lakey Clayton (age 8), Nutella Flavored Cake

If you have an interest in Swain County 4-H please contact Kristi Griggs at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Swain County Center at (828) 488-3848 or email kristi_griggs@ncsu.edu

Coconut Lime Pound Cake — 4-Her, Rylan Anderson's winning entry: Put the Lime in the Coconut Pound Cake -OVERALL BEST IN SHOW!
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Put the Lime in the Coconut Pound Cake Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter , softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons lime zest
1 cup whole milk

Coconut Lime Syrup:

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Coconut Lime Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (toasted)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
In a large stand mixer add the butter and sugar and cream well until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating fully before adding the next egg.
Add in the coconut extract, lime juice and lime zest and mix well.
Add in the flour mixture and the milk in alternating order about half of each at a time until the mixture is just combined.
Spray a 10" bundt pan well with baking spray.
Add the batter evenly and bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Coconut Lime Syrup:

To make the Coconut lime syrup, add the sugar and lime juice to a small microwave safe bowl.
Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave for another 30 seconds until sugar is dissolved.
Add a plate upside down to the bundt pan and carefully flip over to remove from the pan.
Brush the coconut lime syrup over the bundt cake and let it cool for 1 hour.

Coconut Lime Icing:

Add the powdered sugar, milk and lime zest to a large bowl and whisk together well until smooth.
Pour over cooled cake.
Add the coconut to a large dry skillet on medium heat.
Stir occasionally until coconut begins to brown lightly (this will start to happen quickly).
Remove from the pan and let cool for 1 minute.
Add the toasted coconut to the top.