Mom's Perfect Pound Cake

Hello all!

So the other day I went with my parents to go visit Daisy (my dad's horse) and I had a great idea. The man who takes care of Daisy for us is named Dave, and he's a nice (albeit rough) old man who really does love horses. After having so much success with the Red Velvet Cake Pops, I thought I'd make a kind gesture and bring him one. Although a bit hesitant, Dave goes in for the big bite, and wouldn't you know it he loses part of the cake pop right into a bush! AND to top it all off, he jumps right in there and fetches it out and eats it!

I guess he liked it right?

So I thought to myself, 'poor guy lives all by himself, and he would probably love something sweet, and more than just a little cake pop.' I decided I'd make him a pound cake, since who doesn't love pound cake? Tons of butter, tons of eggs, tons of sugar = tons of fun. I go to search the internet for a recipe, but then my mom says "wait! I have the BEST recipe for pound cake. Let me get it; I've had it for forever."

At this point, I'm floored. My mom is not one for recipes. Ever. Even when she does quote-on-quote "use" a recipe, she usually deviates from it completely in all of a few minutes. So to hear that she has a pound cake recipe that she has kept for years was astonishing.

Do you see that little pamphlet? That's it. The recipe for "Perfect Pound Cake." This little booklet looks like its as old as I am, so now I'm really intrigued. For her to keep such a tiny little booklet like that for something as simple as a pound cake recipe (which I probably would have just searched for on the internet) makes me think that this is no ordinary pound cake.

So off I go with testing out the recipe, beginning with the whopping 2 sticks of butter, 1 1/3 cups sugar, and 2 tablespoon vanilla extract.

Then we have what it looks like after the 4 (count it FOUR) whole large eggs.

I blend in the flour, baking powder, and salt, and we have one dense batter on our hands. Talk about pound cake - the filled pan is way heavier than I expected.. But, in it goes, into the oven at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. During which time my kitchen and all surrounding area becomes infused with the delicious scent of homemade vanilla pound cake: my new favorite.

Houston: we have pound cake. No problems in sight yet but I have yet to try and lift this out of the pan. Fingers crossed it's still pretty once I'm through with it!

Perfect? No. but pretty nonetheless, and most importantly: it's yummy, which I'm pretty sure is all Dad's friend Dave cares about. Sara Lee eat your heart out. ;)

Mom's Perfect Pound Cake:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly grease one 9x5 loaf pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. On the lowest speed possible, beat in dry ingredients until just combined (and smooth).
5. Bake at 350 for 55-57 minutes or until toothpick inserted in deepest part of loaf comes out clean
6. Cool for 10 minutes in pan and then gently remove to cool completely on a wire rack.