Louisiana Crunch Cake
Want a cake that is sure to impress? Give this southern, homemade Louisiana Crunch Cake a try. Tender, flavorful cake with a slight crunch from coconut and sliced almonds.
A HOMEMADE POUND CAKE WITH A SWEET CRUNCH
Louisiana Crunch Cake is a buttery, sweet (but not too sweet) pound cake that is topped with crunchy sweetened coconut and almonds. This is not like that Entenmann’s store-bought cake. That one was a Chicago version of this classic southern cake. I know you might look at that list of ingredients and think it’s too much. Don’t let it trip you up – I promise you, it is worth it and whips up quicker than you might assume. Never fear though, if you want to skip all that and make it with a cake mix, I show you how to do that too!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
A Louisiana Crunch Cake is a unique pound cake. The crunch comes from adding sugar and coconut flakes in the cake before baking and the sliced almonds and coconut on top that get sprinkled on top after baking. I tried looking up who invented this cake but found little information. I am going to assume it was someone in Louisiana but I couldn’t find any confirmation. If any of y’all know, please let me know!
The crunch part of the cake is the coconut flakes and sugar that lines the bottom of the pan (which ends up being the top of the cake when it is inverted) along with sliced almonds on top. If you don’t want to use these, you’re basically just making a pound cake from scratch.
I recommend using a large tube pan for this recipe. While it hasn’t been tested in a bundt pan, if you did try it, just know that there is a possibility that the batter may overflow due to the standard bundt pan’s capacity of only 10-12 cups. Unless you have an extra large bundt pan that can hold 15 cups, you may not be able to use all the batter.
Yes but it’s not a Louisiana Crunch Cake without the coconut.
You certainly can but it will be more like a soft cake rather than the more firm pound cake. Here’s the cake mix version:
-1 box French vanilla or yellow cake mix
-1 box instant vanilla pudding
-1 cup full fat sour cream
-3/4 cup vegetable oil
-1/2 cup milk
-4 eggs
-⅓ teaspoon almond extract
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Spray bundt pan well with nonstick cooking spray that has flour in it (like Baker’s Joy). Add the sugar and coconut into the bundt pan as directed below then the cake batter. Bake at 325F for 40-45 minutes (until toothpick inserted comes out clean) and allow to cool for about 20 minutes before flipping. Make glaze and drizzle on top.
Keep in mind that you’ll need a 10-cup bundt pan and this will make a smaller cake than making it from scratch.
Only if you really want to. I rarely sift flour, which might raise some eyebrows among bakers, but truthfully, my cakes always turn out fantastic without the added effort. I simply stir it well with a fork when adding the baking powder and salt.
It can be served at room temperature, or if you pop an individual slice of cake in the microwave for 15 seconds. I like it a tad warm myself. You can also serve this cake with a scoop of ice cream, or topped with some fresh fruit and whipped cream.
Leftover cake can be stored at room temp for up to 5 days. Or, you can freeze the cake for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- all-purpose flour – you can use cake flour if you prefer. I like White Lily all purpose flour for my baked goods.
- baking powder – make sure your baking powder is fresh and not expired. Most times when cake recipes do not turn out properly it is because the baking powder was no longer fresh.
- granulated sugar – I have not tried this with sugar substitutes.
- salted butter – make sure it is softened to room temperature so it creams easier with the sugar.
- large eggs – if you have time, let the eggs come to room temperature. Cake recipes turn out they’re fluffier when all the ingredients are at room temperature.
- sour cream – I haven’t tried this with full fat Greek yogurt but I think it would work.
- vanilla extract and almond extract – the combination of these two extracts really make this cake taste SO good! But you can just use vanilla if you aren’t a fan of almond extract.
- buttermilk – try to use the real stuff here. That fat in the milk really brings a lot of moisture into this cake.
- sweetened flaked coconut – this isn’t a Louisiana Crunch Cake without the coconut but if you just can’t stand its then you can leave it out.
- coconut extract – again, you don’t have to add this extract but I promise you that you will love it, especially if you aren’t going to be adding the coconut flakes.
- sliced almonds – this is going to add that extra crunch this cake is known for. You can even toast them if you prefer.
HOW TO MAKE LOUISIANA CRUNCH CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch tube pan well with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the body of stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the sugar and butter together for 2 minutes.
Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing it in fully before adding the next. Stir in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, stir it in fully, scrape down the sides as needed. Repeat 2 more times with the flour mixture and buttermilk until well combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixer well to ensure it is well blended. Add ⅓ of the buttermilk, again stir it in fully.
For the cake topping, add the sugar to the greased bundt pan. Tap it along the edges of the pan about 3 inches up, and make sure the bottom is well coated in the sugar. Sprinkle the coconut evenly into the bottom of the pan.
Spread the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto your serving platter and allow it to cool completely. Once the cake is cool, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, almond extract, coconut extract, and vanilla extract until smooth. If the glaze seems a little too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon more milk. The glaze should be thick yet pourable. Pour the glaze all over the top of the cake and allow it to drip down the sides.
Immediately sprinkle the remaining coconut and sliced almonds on top. You must do this while the glaze is still wet so they stick.
Allow the cake glaze to set up for at least 1 hour before slicing.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Louisiana Crunch Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the cake topping:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon coconut extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
For the garnish:
- ¼ cup sweetened coconut flakes
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch tube pan well with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the body of stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the sugar and butter together for 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing it in fully before adding the next.
- Stir in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, stir it in fully, scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add ⅓ of the buttermilk, again stir it in fully.
- Repeat 2 more times with the flour mixture and buttermilk until well combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixer well to ensure it is well blended.
- For the cake topping, add the sugar to the greased bundt pan. Tap it along the edges of the pan about 3 inches up, and make sure the bottom is well coated in the sugar.
- Sprinkle the coconut evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Spread the batter into the pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Invert the cake onto your serving platter and allow it to cool completely.
- Once the cake is cool, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, almond extract, coconut extract, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- If the glaze seems a little too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon more milk. The glaze should be thick yet pourable.
- Pour the glaze all over the top of the cake and allow it to drip down the sides.
- Immediately sprinkle the remaining coconut and sliced almonds on top. You must do this while the glaze is still wet so they stick.
- Allow the cake glaze to set up for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- A large tube pan works best for this. I haven’t tested it in a bundt pan but the batter may overflow (since the standard bundt pan is only 10-12 cups) so you may not be able to use all the batter unless you are using an extra large bundt pan that holds 15 cups.
- If you do not like any of the extract flavors just leave them out.
- This would be lovely at a wedding reception, baby shower, or a similar gathering, the drippy glaze and toppings are just stunning.
- Keep at room temperature for 5 days. Freeze for 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
