Lemon Pound Cake and a cool story

You may already know that I have a SERIOUS sweet tooth.  It's really bad.  I also love to bake...which is only bad for my waistline...But I love measuring out the flour, beating the butter, shortening, sugar, eggs...to turning into something completely new and different!!  It relieves stress and is so satisfying!  This cake is SO good!  Delicate, lemony but not too lemony, moist and DELICIOUS!! I got the recipe from my Grandmother.  She got it from a kind woman who lived in the same apartment complex as her, while she and my Grandfather were stationed in Germany, directly above as a matter-of-fact.  She brought it to my Grandmother once and, my Grandmother loved it and asked for the recipe.  The lady happily gave it too her and said that it came from the Waldorf-Astoria years ago.  Her husband was a high ranking military man and they were eating there.  She loved the recipe so much that she paid the Pastry Chef $100 for the recipe.  She freely shared it with anyone who wanted it.  And that's how this beautiful cake came into my world!!  It's a family tradition in the family I grew up in and now in my own home.  My 4 children love it as well as my husband!  You could say it's part of the family, and since I'm not a recipe hoarder, I'm sharing it with you now.  Enjoy!

 1 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
2 tsp. lemon extract
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon zest
6 eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups cake flour, sifted
1/4 tsp. b. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

1.  First take out the eggs.  They need to be at room temp....or so.  Separate them once they are the temp you need and set them aside.  Make sure the whites are in a bowl that has enough room so that when you whip them, they have room.

2.  Ok, now put the shortening and sugar in the mixing bowl.  Beat that until it's light and fluffy.  You'll need about 2-3 minutes on high.  Add your egg yolks one at a time beating well after each addition.

3.  Now add your extract, lemon juice, zest and give a little mix.  Not too much or your zest will start to wrap around your beater, nothing worse than zest tangle....

4.  Ok now we get to the fun part....well....one of the fun parts.  Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together.  Add 1/3 of the flour to the bowl and mix on low speed.  With the mixer still on low add 1/3 of the buttermilk.  Continue adding alternately the flour mixture and buttermilk until it's mixed well.  Turn off the mixer and removed the bowl.

5.  Next beat your egg whites.  You want them to hold a stiff peak....They need to be able to hold their own.
6.  Ok so now your whites are beat and have surrendered....lol....just kidding.  They should be a bit glossy, and nice and firm.  Take 1/3 of the egg whites and add them to your batter.  Fold them in gently but know that this addition is a sort of a sacrifice for the greater good of the cake.  It lightens everything up and gets it ready for the rest of the team to do the heavy lifting.

7.  Add the rest of the egg whites and gently fold them in.  Don't over fold....

8.  Now get a bundt pan (I use my Pampered Chef stoneware Fluted Pan)  and rub it with oil.  If you use a metal bundt pan you'll want to spray it with cooking spray or do the butter/shortening rub with flour massage....It stinks when your beautiful delicious cake is not so beautiful!  Pour it into your pan and bake it at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes.  You will want to watch it since ovens are different and the time may be less than that.  Stick a cake tester in there  close to the middle and make sure it's done.

9.  When it's done let it cool about 10 or 15 minutes and turn out onto a cake plate.  Lightly cover and let cool....although it's delish warm too!

Feel the love in every bite!!  Enjoy!
   

Lemon Pound Cake