Mama's Cold Oven Pound Cake

photos by Johnny

My Mama makes the BEST pound cake in the world. Tender crumb on the inside, with a slightly chewy crust...yummmm. Not too sweet, it's equally good all by itself with a cold glass of milk, or dressed up with strawberries and whipped cream. My mama's secret? Use a hand mixer. She says to beat it well, but not to death. Her pound cake is always better than mine because I'm lazy and use my KitchenAid. (See the big bubbles in mine? My mama's never has those.) Her cake always has a fine crumb and lovely light texture-never heavy. But if you're lazy like me, the bubbles don't make a bit of difference in the taste. However you make it, it's really good. I'd never lead you astray on something as important as pound cake.

Mama's Cold Oven Pound Cake (printable recipe)

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
scant 3 cups sugar
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
4 eggs from happy hens
1 tsp. vanilla (2 if you don't use the butter and nut)
1 tsp. butter and nut flavoring (optional)

Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar.
Beat in half of the cake flour, half of the milk, and the salt until combined.
Beat in eggs, one at a time. (Beat each one in until it disappears into the batter.)
Beat in the rest of the cake flour, milk, and flavorings.

Pour batter into a greased and floured tube pan. Put in a cold oven and set temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 1 hour. Increase temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes longer or until cake is done. (cake tester comes out clean)