This pound cake has been a constant in my life and it has been my birthday cake many times. Our family holidays would not be complete without it. The best part is the crispy, dark-brown sugary edges. Much to my mother’s consternation, more than once, little pesky elves raided the opaque Tupperware cake container and nibbled away those tasty bits.–Virginia Willis
Meme’s Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 3 cups White Lily or other Southern all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 vanilla bean split and scraped, or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, preferably Crisco, at room temperature
- 3 cups sugar
Directions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Generously grease a 16-cup (measure to the rim) bundt pan with butter. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the milk, eggs, and the scraped vanilla seeds. Set aside.
- 2. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, cream together the 1 cup of butter, vegetable shortening, and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour and milk mixtures to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating between dry and liquid, occasionally scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Fill the prepared pan with batter (it should be no more than two-thirds full).
- 3. Bake for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and bake an additional 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove to a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely.
- 4. This cake will stay moist in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Meme’s Pound Cake Recipe © 2008 Virginia Willis. Photo © 2008 Ellen Silverman. All rights reserved.
Mmmmm, this looks totally delicious! Love the photo. :)
[Kim Venglar] This pound cake has the perfect texture and flavor. The small flecks of vanilla bean were great. The crunchy bits on the top are as good as the author says, and I agree it’s hard to not pick them off. This pound cake stays moist if kept covered and is the ideal base for any flavor of sauce or fruit topping. It would make excellent strawberry shortcake. Next time I’ll try making the mini Bundt cakes and have individual servings.