I love pound cakes. They are great for anytime of the day, from breakfast to a midnight snack.

You can add almost anything to them and make them your own. This islander pound cake is so moist and sweet it would satisfy any matey’s cravings. And yes, I love the Pirate movies!

Pineapple Rum Pound Cake

2 and 1/2 cups sugar

1 and 1/2 cups butter (room temperature)

5 large eggs

1/2 Vanilla bean (or teaspoon vanilla extract)

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup whole milk

1/3 cup Malibu Rum

2 cups cut fresh pineapple (can crushed pineapple may be cloudy due to unstrained juices when canned)

1/2 cup crushed coconut (sweetened)

Glaze

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup rum

1 cup toasted coconut

Prepare Bundt cake pan or tube pan with Bakers Joy, or with flour and shortening, and preheat over at 350 degrees.

In mixer, beat butter and sugar until incorporated. Scrape bowl and add one egg at a time. Beat on medium until each egg is just blended in bowl.

Take the moist vanilla bean and slice long ways through the bean. Scrape the bean pod inside and add the vanilla seeds into the mix and beat on high for 5 minutes. If using extract, add the vanilla and beat on high for 5 minutes.

While the batter is mixing in the mixer, sift the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl.

Add the milk and 1/3 cup rum together in another bowl. Alternately, add the flour mix and rum mix into three different rotations on medium until all is incorporated.

Scrape bowl and add the pineapple with the coconut flakes and fold into the batter. Pour into prepared mold up 3/4 high. You may have enough to make two cakes, depending on the size of pan. Wrap remaining batter and store in refrigerator. Bake 350 degrees in preheated oven for 50 minutes or when toothpick comes clean when inserted in middle.

Set aside to cool on rack for 30 minutes. While cooling the cake make your glaze. Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and 1/2 cup of sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir in the rum. Cook until the sugars have dissolved, then remove from heat. Unmold cake onto a serving dish. (I always cut the cake even with pan to let the cake sit flat.) Gently poke holes into the cake with a fork or cake tester. Pour glaze evenly over cake. Top with toasted coconut.