How to Make An Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pound Cake

Make a buttermilk pound cake the old-fashioned way, without an electric mixer and by carefully adding the ingredients. Doing so will ensure that the cake is rich and dense as intended. While this cake is good any time of the year, it’s a perfect addition to the holidays.

Things You'll Need

• Bundt or tube pan, greased and well floured
• Large wooden stirring spoon
• 1/2 cup butter, unsalted (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups white sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted well
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Cream butter, shortening and sugar together in mixing bowl until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Adding them one at a time keeps the batter creamy and gradually dense. Blend in the vanilla.

2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder and soda together, add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition.

3. Spoon the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto wire rack or floured board and cool completely.

4. Sift confectioner's sugar on top of the cake after cooling and before slicing, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• These cakes are time-consuming but would make a wonderful addition to a church bake sale or bazaar

• Packaged with beautiful holiday plastic wrap and ribbons, this cake is the perfect holiday gift

References

• Taste of Home: Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe