Pound Cake

Pound Cake
From: swampbear

3 cups sugar
1 and 1/2 cups shortening
3 cups cake flour*
10 Large Eggs (yeah I know, 10 Eggs!!!, but this makes a big cake)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or another flavor if you're feelin' exotic. Almond and lemon also work great)

Sift cake flour four times (an important step). Put the shortening in a mixing bowl (all hail Kitchen Aide!) and add the sugar a small amout at a time beating until light and fluffy. Add five eggs and beat about three minutes, then add half of the flour, a small amount at a time, beating it well. Add the other five eggs, beat three more minutes then add the rest of the flour beating slowly until mixed. Stir in the extract.

Pour into a well greased (with shortening) and floured tube cake thingy.

Bake at 300 degrees for two hours. Ok, now y'all know ovens vary so, really, check it after an hour and a half to make sure. It may need more or less than two hours depending on your oven, altitude and all that stuff Alton Brown is known to go on for hours and hours about.

This makes a huge cake.

* It is important to use cake flour which may also be known as soft flour dependin' on where you live. Cake flour will give the cake a nice crunchy top. You will compose odes and rhapsodies to the crunchiness of this cake top. Thus, cake flour is a must. Also the sifting is a must, so no wimpin' out.

Ok, yeah, this cake takes some work. Work well worth it though, so get to bakin'!