Cornmeal Cake

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 cup pure maple syrup, at room temperature 3 eggs, at room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated 1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal, preferably stone-ground 1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3⁄4  cup sour cream
1 cup raisins


Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease a large tube pan or a
10-inch Bundt pan and set aside.

2. Cream the butter with an electric mixer, gradually adding the
maple syrup. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla and
orange zest.

3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and
salt. Toss in the coconut. Add the dry ingredients to the butter
mixture alternately with the sour cream, in two or three stages,
each time stirring just to blend. Don’t beat it. Fold in the raisins.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center
comes out clean. Let cool briefly in the pan, then turn onto a plate.