Old-Fashioned Butter Pound Cake

½ cup whole milk

6 large eggs

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour (such as Swan’s Down)

1½ cups sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 sticks (1½ ups) unsalted butter, softened

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a standard-sized angel food cake or tube pan. Set prepared pan aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs and vanilla. Stir to break up the eggs. Set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt on lowest speed of an electric mixer 30 seconds. Add the softened butter and half the egg mixture; mix on low, until all the ingredients are incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat 1 minute. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl; continue to mix on medium while adding remaining egg mixture.

Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of the cake comes out clean. The cake will shrink away from the sides of the pan when it is done.

Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then remove to a buttered cake rack to cool completely before attempting to slice. Cake improves in texture and flavor if allowed to sit (covered) for 24 hours before serving.

Serves 20.

Nutrition values per slice: 230 calories, 13 g fat (8 g saturated), 25 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein, 78 mg cholesterol, 153 mg sodium.