Love me the Food Network challenges!

I was watching the FN one lazy Sunday and the "Challenge" show was on and it was featuring cakes. Luckily for me, I was in search of a good recipe for dessert to bring to Easter at the Future Mr. Tana-Licious' Mom's house (that's a mouth full... could have just said future mother in law, or FMIL (if you're a Knottie!!)).

The tropical pound cake called out to me. I kid you not. Ok, well maybe a little. Nevertheless, it was a fairly simple recipe to follow and everyone devoured it. I do plan to whip it up again in the future... it is a good go-to pound cake recipe too! My plan is to switch up the extracts next time around... maybe go with a lemon & lime flavor! The possibilities with this cake are near endless!

Only thing I will add to this... I found it to take an additional 25 minutes of cook time. Each stove is different I suppose!

Tropical Pound Cake



Cake:
Floured cooking spray
3 stick butter
8 ounces cream cheese
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour (recommended: White Lily)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/2 teaspoons orange extract

Icing:
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
4 ounces cream cheese
1 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 box confectioners' sugar (more or less depending on desired frosting consistency)
1 small can coconut

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Spray a 10-cup tube pan with floured cooking spray and set aside (make sure the pan is coated well).
Cream together the butter and cream cheese on low speed until mixed well. Slowly add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy at medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed. (Mix from 15 to 30 seconds.) Slowly add flour. Once the flour is mixed in add the extracts. Beat the mixture on medium-low speed for about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides, beat another 30 seconds. TIP: do not overbeat, cake will be dry.
Pour batter into the tube pan and distribute evenly. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Test for doneness. Remove from over and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn the cake out on a serving dish. Put the dish on a wire rack to complete cooling. One cake is cool, frost.
Icing: Take the strained crushed pineapple, put in a small bowl, and with the back of a large spoon, press out as much juice as possible. Set aside.
Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add the crushed pineapple and extracts. Beat about a minute. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, until you reach the desired spreading consistency. You will most likely use the entire box. Beat until light and fluffy. Frost the pound cake on all sides, top and middle. Carefully press the coconut on the sides, and sprinkle on the top. Hint, put the cake dish on waxed paper so that the coconut that falls off can be easily collected.