Mrs. Tommy Jo's Pound Cake

Growing up, my church would hold "Dinner on the Grounds" once a month.  I would get so excited for these church potlucks, not because of the cookies or brownies, like most kids.  No, I couldn't wait for Mrs. Tommy Jo's pound cake.  It was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted!  So buttery and wonderful that it made me wolf down the myriad of casseroles on my plate just so I could be first in line for dessert.  My Mama just recently revealed that she had gotten the recipe from Mrs. Tommy Jo, who is now an angel no-doubt making her heavenly pound cake for the Lord.  I baked one right away and sure enough, it brought back all those memories of church, friends and fellowship.  A perfect cake for Christmas!  So, I thought I'd share it in my month-long series of Christmas treats.  It's perfect for taking to a pot luck (obviously) and it makes a great gift.   Here's the recipe:

MRS. TOMMY JO'S POUND CAKE

3 cups + 4 TBS plain flour
3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Sift together flour, salt and baking soda.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.  Mix in vanilla.  Alternately add milk and flour mixture as follows:  Add 1 cup flour, mix.  Then 1/2 cup milk, mix.  Then 1 cup flour, mix.  Then 1/2 cup milk, mix.  Then, the last of the flour and mix well.  Grease a bundt pan.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes.  Let cool in pan for 15 minutes.  Then turn it put onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.

This cake turns out buttery and dense - it's the perfect cake!  You'll love it!  You can dust it with powdered sugar if you like, but I think it's great just as it is.

Pound cake is nostalgic and classic and traditional - just like Christmas.