Sour Cream Pound Cake

From "Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More" by Carole Walter. She says every baker should have at least one "go to" pound cake recipe. Sounds perfect to go with strawberries. Allow an hour for cooling time. For a tasty variation, try adding 1/4 cup of chopped, crystallized ginger after mixing in the flour and sour cream.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 12-14
• Yields: 1 10-inch cake

Ingredients

• 3  cups cake flour, sifted, spooned in & leveled
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1  cup unsalted butter, slightly firm (2 sticks)
• 2 1⁄4 cups  superfine sugar
• 6  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1  cup sour cream
•  powdered sugar, optional for dusting

Directions

1. Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 325ºF.
2. Generously butter a 10-inch angel food cake pan, line the bottom with baking parchment, then butter parchment and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
4. Cut butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
5. Mix on medium speed until smooth and lightened in color, about 2 minutes.
6. Add the sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, taking 8-10 minutes.
7. Blend in eggs, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Scrape down side of bowl as needed.
8. Add vanilla.
9. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream (dividing the flour mixture into four parts and the sour cream into three parts, beginning and ending with the flour).
10. Scrape down the side of the bowl again.
11. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the back of a large soup spoon.
12. Bake for 70-75 minutes. The cake is done when the top is golden brown and firm to the touch, and a wooden skewer inserted deeply in the center come out clean.
13. COOLING: Remove from oven and let stand on a cooling rack for 20 to 25 minutes. Holding the tube, lift cake from outer ring and place it on the cooling rack, letting it stand for another 20 to 30 minutes. Cover the cake with a cooling rack, invert, and carefully lift off the tube section of the pan and the parchment paper. Cover with another rack and turn cake, top side up, to finish cooling.
14. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.