The Gift of Cake

I've been giving this cake to our family doctor for at least 8 years now.  Actually last year I forgot to make it and remembered that fact on Christmas eve, so I made it and my husband dropped it at their house on Christmas morning. They had mentioned a few years earlier that it was a very special part of their family celebration so I was not about to let them down. Plus giving the gift of homemade food is not only appreciated by the receiver, it makes the giver feel pretty good, too.

This family recipe was passed on to me by my aunt and is a staple in our family repertoire. I added the nuts to create the coffee cake version, which is the one my doctor is particularly fond of...

Sour Cream Pound Cake
1/2 lb butter or Earth Balance (melted)
3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

• Melt butter

• Place all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl 

• Add eggs, sour cream, vanilla and melted butter

• Mix well with electric mixer on medium for 4-5 minutes

• Grease and flour bundt or tube pan; pour in batter and bake for 1.5 hours or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean; cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then insert knife around edges and remove gently from pan.  Place on rack until completely cooled.  Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving

Coffee cake variation:

• Chop 3/4 cup walnuts and 3/4 cups pecans; to nuts add 4 tbls melted butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tbls cinnamon.
• Pour half the batter in the pan and make a ring of nuts on top of the batter, trying to keep the nuts away from the side of the pan
• Add remaining batter and bake as instructed above

The plain pound cake is the perfect cake to serve with fresh sliced fruit.  The coffee cake is always a big hit when you have company, which I recommend you have when you make it or you might find yourself eating most of it, a sliver at a time. Enjoy!