Pound cakes done well, are one of the most unpretentiously delicious cakes you can find anywhere. A good pound cake is dense and firm, it will have an almost crunchy crust and the crumb should be tender and not dry. It shouldn’t have the moist crumb of a regular layer cake, but the density of the cake does not equate to Sahara-dry cake.

I’ve certainly had my share of pound cake over the years. This pound cake is by far though, the most delicious I’ve had.  Because it is my Auntie Joe’s recipe doesn’t mean I’m biased, it’s just a great cake!

My mom, Ms. Humphrey, and my aunt were the ones everyone we knew called on for sweets. Sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, fruit cake (yes, fruit cake), besides regular meals was my mother’s sweet spot, even home-made ice cream.  Ms Humphrey had a small catering business on the side and Auntie Joe was Ms. Humphrey’s right hand when she cooked for clients. 

My Auntie Joe was the go-to for a lot of our family’s baked goods; Parker House rolls, coconut cakes and of course, her specialty…the All Butter Pound Cake.  This is the cake along with her Lemon Pound Cake that we grew up with. She moved on to 7-Up pound cakes and other flavors, but the All Butter Pound Cake was the staple. 

My Aunt Joe was my favorite aunt. Not only because she was a great cook and I always loved to eat.  She was kind, generous, funny and just an all around wonderful person who loved people and it translated into everything she did, especially cooking. I hope you try this recipe. It is delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter
2-½ cup granulated sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp butter flavor

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-in. bundt pan. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed butter and sugar alternating with sour cream, vanilla and butter flavoring. Beat on low just until blended. Pour into prepared pan and smooth out the top.

Bake for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust top of cake with confectioners’ sugar and add fruit (optional).