Pound Cake -- Not Just for Southern Belles!

Last night my friend Kay in Nebraska had a failed pound cake :( How sad is that after all those delicious aromas from the oven!! She asked for some good recipes, and I flew to my recipe box to pull out my "perfect" pound cake. I've been using this recipe since 1973!! and it hasn't failed me yet. Hope y'all have good luck, too!

9 large egg whites at room temperature
3 cups sifted all purpose flour (sift before measuring)
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 cups sugar
9 egg yolks
2 cups butter at room temperature (be kind to your taste buds and use real butter)
2 t vanilla extract (you can also add lemon or almond extract with the vanilla)
Confectioner's sugar for dusting the top

Grease and flour a 10" tube pan or bundt pan and heat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

2. On high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until soft peak form. Turn into separate bowl.

3. Using the same bowl, at high speed, beat egg yolks with remaining sugar, butter, and extracts, and continue beating for about 5 minutes. Your batter should be thick and yellowy.

4. On low speed, gradually beat in egg white mixture just until blended. You can also fold in the egg white mixture by hand. Using either method, be sure to scrape the batter from the sides of the bowl so that all of it is incorporated.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about an hour, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

6. Cool slightly then turn onto wire rack to finish cooling. Dust with confectioner's sugar. Slice thinly with sharp knife.

yummmmmm :)