Banana Coconut Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, or 3 sticks margarine
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sweetened, flake coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
3 very large, very ripe bananas
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coconut extract


Cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually blend in sugar and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine salt, baking powder and flour in a bowl.

In a food processor or blender, purée coconut in milk. Add bananas or coconut mixture and process until bananas are also pureed. Beginning with dry ingredients (flour mixture), add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with coconut puree and extracts. Begin with dry ingredients, end with dry ingredients. There should be four additions of dry ingredients, three additions of liquid ingredients. Mix well, but do not over beat. Very lightly grease a tube pan. Line with wax paper. Pour batter into a pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Cool thoroughly before removing from baking pan.