Ingredients
- Non-stick baking spray
- 1 lb. butter with salt (4 sticks - or - 2 cups), room temperature
- 4 c. sugar
- 2 c. eggs (about 10 large or 8 extra large), room temperature
- 2 TB fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 th tsp. ground mace spice
- 4 c. all-purpose plain flour, sifted (In the South, we use White Lily--it is ideal for creating light and fluffy baked goods, as it is milled from only 100% pure, soft, red winter wheat.)
Preparation
Step 1
Grease and flour a 10" tube pan (not a Bundt pan...the batter will overflow) with the non-stick baking spray. If you use a tube pan with a removable insert, please see my Very Happy Birthday Pound Cake with Rich Chocolate Frosting with photos on how to line the pan with wax paper.
Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below the one you will bake the cake on, just in case your pan leaks a little grease and/or cake batter.
Preheat the oven to 325º.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl.
Using a medium mixer speed, add the eggs one at a time just until the yellow disappears...be careful not to over mix! Scrape the bowl again.
Add the lemon juice and vanilla.
Whisk the mace into the flour and incorporate about 1 c. of the dry ingredients at a time to the batter.
Scrape the bowl one last time and give the batter a little extra mix.
Pour the batter into the pan* and bake for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted and the cake springs back when gently pressed with your finger.
Cool overnight. (For a moist cake, Mother instructed me to cover it with a clean dish towel and let "sweat" while cooling.)
Gently run a very thin-bladed knife around the edges and tube of the pan, then invert the cake onto a serving dish. Carefully remove the tube and wax paper, if used.