Blank Slate Buttermilk Pound Cake

Submitted by Donna M.

"This versatile cake is quick to mix up and tastes wonderful! It has been a winner in my family for over 35 years. The recipe originally came from an aunt of mine."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 45mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 1 cake
• Serves: 16-20

ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons flavoring (vanilla, almond, lemon or whatever you like)
• 3 cups flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (or substitute 1 cup sweet milk with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice stirred in)

directions

1. Cream sugar, shortening and eggs.
2. Add flavoring.
3. Combine dry ingredients.
4. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.
5. Pour batter into greased and floured tube cake pan.
6. Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 300°.
7. Cool 10 minutes and turn out of pan.
8. VARIATIONS: Add 1 cup of chocolate chips, melted, to batter for chocolate cake.
9. Add grated orange or lemon peel for orange or lemon cake.

Reviews

[BogeysMom]

I used both lemon and almond flavoring and this tasted terrific. We live on a military base, so consequently I have an old, unpredictable oven, which is I'm sure the reason my cake was somewhat dry. The flavor was so awesome, though, I cut it up and layered it with some homemade strawberry-lemon jam and homemade custard filling. Yummy. I'll make this again and again.

 

[Caryn]

This was a wonderful, luscious, buttery tasting pound cake. It was very moist and slightly crumbly (a little like cake but not) as compared to a dense pound cake. The buttermilk (I used the real stuff) added a buttery flavor that is not obtained with pound cakes made with milk, sour cream, or cream cheese. The cake is not a large 10-inch tube pound cake (in height) but is a great size for coffee, snacking or dessert. I used vanilla extract and did not add chocolate chips, orange peel, or lemon peel. My husband has fallen in love with this recipe, and has managed to eat at least two pieces/day over the past two days. This one is a keeper!!!

 

[Lennie]

I have a problem: I can't stop eating this! It came out of the oven about 90 minutes ago, and I've already had two pieces--and I haven't even had dinner yet! I don't believe I've ever made a cake with just shortening before (typically I would automatically substitute butter) but in my quest to find lowcost recipes, I went with just the shortening. And I can't believe it, but I don't care at all that I didn't use butter! This cake is an absolute delight--moist inside, a little crusty outside, with a wonderful flavour (I used 1 tsp orange extract and 1/2 tsp almond extract). This was perfectly done after 90 minutes. The recipe is very easy to prepare and will definitely be a regular for me from now on. Thanks for posting this!

 

[Sueie]

Great basic cake, buttery and moist. I used orange essence and the flavour was just right.

 

[Chef doing this a while]

Followed the recipe exactly...good flavor just too dry.