A coffee and tea time favorite, this praline pound cake is one of those Southern cakes that is a consummate example of down-home goodness.
I love this type of “needs no icing” kind of cake, that is not only the perfect offering for a friend who stops by for coffee, but is right at home on a lace tablecloth with fancy cups and saucers.
Gone are the days of pound cakes that require a pound each of flour, butter, sugar and eggs (thank heavens). What remains is the simplicity and goodness of old-fashioned flavor that any Southern hostess would be proud to serve.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup shortening (crisco)
- 1 (16-ounce) package dark brown sugar
- 5 eggs
- 3 cups flour (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 cups pecans, chopped
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, cream butter and shortening while gradually adding the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour, baking powder and soda.
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Dredge the pecans in remaining 1/2 cup of flour (this keeps them well distributed in the batter instead of sinking to the bottom).
- Stir the vanilla and pecans into the cake batter.
- Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350* for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan 15 minutes or so, then remove from pan and let cool … call friends and make the coffee!
