Coconut is optimizing its resume. As it should.

It’s got credentials: tropical background, extensive travel, collaborative spirit that led to cream pie, curry, candy. Not to mention a side hustle in cocktails. Impressive.

But coconut’s got new skills, too: It’s not just meat and milk, but oil, sugar and flour as well. A cake mixed from coconut components — in this case a coconut pound cake — bakes up moist and aromatic, with a dense, fine-grain crumb.

Add that to coconut’s handbill: megatasker.

COCONUT POUND CAKE
By Leah Eskin

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (whisk before measuring)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons solid coconut oil
• 3 large eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with butter or coconut oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and salt.

In a measuring cup, whisk together coconut milk and vanilla.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat sugar and coconut oil until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

Switch to low speed and add flour and milk mixtures, alternating and mixing until ingredients are just incorporated. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45-48 minutes.

Let cool in pan, 10 minutes, then remove cake and cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional information unavailable.