Old Aiken Pound Cake

My mother's favorite cake to make for friends and neighbors....and she must have made at least 200+ in her lifetime! The mace gives it a little different flavor from most pound cakes, but that's the flavor I associate with childhood! This recipe originated in Aiken, SC, or so the story goes. This cake freezes well.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 1 bundt cake

Ingredients

• 1  cup butter, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup shortening (Crisco)
• 3  cups granulated sugar
• 5  large eggs
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon ground mace
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  cup  whole milk

Directions

1. Spray heavy-duty bundt or tube pan with Baker's Secret or grease and flour it.
2. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, mace, and salt, and set aside.
3. Add vanilla to milk, and set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. To shortening/butter mixture, alternately add 1/3 flour mixture and 1/3 milk mixture, mixing between additions.
7. Repeat until all flour and milk are incorporated into batter.
8. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
9. Place cake in COLD oven.
10. Turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes.
11. Do NOT open oven door while cake is baking.
12. After the 70 minutes cooking time, test cake for doneness, as oven temperatures vary.
13. Cake should be golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted in center of cake should come out clean.
14. After cake is partially cooled, remove from pan.
15. VARIATION: Substitute rum or brandy flavoring for the vanilla.
16. If desired, make a glaze of powdered sugar and water or lemon juice and pour over cooled cake.