Anna's Irresistible Pound Cake

Patty Labelle has a cookbook that is filled to the brim with some fabulous recipes as well….I had the pleasure of trying her pound cake recipe as well. Her story goes….My mother in law’s recipe is the perfect “plain” cake. It’s delicious on its own with a glass of milk, but it is really great “shortcake-style,” with some sliced peaches and strawberries. Honestly I am not sure which recipe I am going with this Thanksgiving season…..too many delicious choices?

This recipe makes about 12 servings depending on how you slice it:

4 cups cake flour (not self rising cake flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 cups milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 1/ cups sugar

6 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the over to 350*F Butter and flour a 10 inch tube pan, tapping out the excess flour. Sift the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl. In a glass measuring cup, combine the milk, vanilla and lemon zest. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter until cramy about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs. In three additions, beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk mixture. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bale until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cool on a wire cake rack for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the sides and tube section of the pan and lift off the pan. Slide the knife under the cake to release it from the tube section. Cool completely on the cake rack. Remove the cake from the tube section. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap until ready to serve. You have to read the book to see the picture of her with her nephew Michael, Zurl and Armstead trying to sweet talk her mother in law make her famous pound cake….but the cake is really delicious.  Recipe can be found on page 172.