Sour Cream Pound Cake
As I sit down to write my very first blog post, I am overwhelmed with gratitude at the thoughts and memories of all the women who have inspired me over the years making all of this possible. Of course, my first recipe post could only be dedicated to my Mimi (my maternal late grandmother). She was a true southern lady and homemaker. Her job and purpose in life was to raise her children and grandchildren and to make her house a home. There was a time where she dabbled in an income- based job making flower arrangements in the shop behind her house, but for the most part she was a homemaker. She was a fabulous cook, but her specialty was baking. She instilled these values in me at a very young age. My mama and daddy both worked full time jobs and I always stayed with my grandparents growing up. I didn’t exactly know what my Mimi was doing at the time, but looking back now, I see that she was raising me to be a homemaker just like her. Every single day, we did activities that taught me values around the house that I would carry with me for the rest of my life. Sometimes, it was learning how to properly water flowers allowing them to thrive in the spring and teaching me to have a green thumb. Other times, she would let me pick out my favorite summer fabric and run to the sewing machine and sew me a new dress to wear to lunch that day. Then most times, we would be in the kitchen making tried and true recipes that I hope to always make at my table and pass down to generations to come. Some of these recipes are just too good to not share and that is exactly why I am sharing her famous pound cake recipe.
I have eaten and made many pound cake recipes over the years, but I will always go back to this recipe as being the tried, true, and best every single time. All of our friends and family who know my Mimi, know this pound cake and it is a favorite among many. First of all, it’s HUGE! It will definitely feed a crowd; which, makes it perfect for potlucks, holidays, and any get together you may be attending during any season! Once the party is over, this cake will be good for days if kept in an air-tight container. We have eaten on it for almost a week before! It is great as a desert, snack, or even for breakfast with a cup of coffee (my personal favorite!)
This pound cake is great because you just beat it together, pour it in a greased pan, and bake! There’s not any extra effort or dirty dishes required, due to the cake not needing icing or frosting like most cake recipes. However, the beauty of this recipe is, it can be enjoyed as written, or you can get fun and creative with it. Many times I have substituted vanilla flavoring for something else like almond or lemon flavorings, which are both equally great! You can also make a “drizzle” for the top with powdered sugar and a little milk. I have even made a lemon cream cheese icing before and it was phenomenal. Whichever route you go- you can’t go wrong with this rich pound cake!
There’s one special ingredient that makes this cake so rich and moist and that’s the sour cream. I have had other recipes that do not include sour cream and they do not hold a candle. All of the butter and sugar comes together and bakes perfectly to make a thick crispy crust on the outer parameter, which is my favorite part of the entire cake! The great thing is, I always have these ingredients on hand so I can make it on a whim if needed! I always appreciate recipes that have basic ingredients that do not send me off to the grocery store when I am in a pinch!
I love using my kitchen-aid mixer for this recipe because it requires a lot of mixing, and I always use the whisk attachment. Any hand-mixer will do great though! Make sure you follow the specific instructions, like adding 1 egg at a time. I used to think all the special rules were silly, but after having many baking fails over the years; I learned to just follow the rules when it comes to baking because it is truly an art! YUMMY, I am ready to make it now! Grab a coffee let’s go!
SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE
3 cups sugar
2 sticks softened butter
6 whole eggs
3 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 oz. container) sour cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In order, blend sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add in one egg at a time, and beat well. Add vanilla and sour cream. Lastly, add the dry ingredients; flour, salt, and baking soda. Beat well and pour into well-greased (Crisco) tube or bundt pan. Bake for 1.5 hours or until golden brown on top. I will typically check mine around 1 hour and 15 minutes, and will remove when a toothpick comes out clean.
