Grandma's 6 Flavor Pound Cake

This pound cake is incredibly special to me. My grandma made it every Christmas for as long as I can remember, and now that she has retired from the kitchen, it’s my job to carry on the tradition. Every bite makes me think of my grandma, who I adore, and it tastes just like home. It’s the most moist and flavorful pound cake I’ve ever had, with a delicious buttery crust on top that might be my favorite part. What really makes it special, though, is the sugary glaze. You poke holes all over the warm cake and pour the glaze on top, letting it soak deep into the cake and make it unbelievably moist and flavorful. Once you’ve had this pound cake, you’ll scoff every time you walk past a Sara Lee cake at the grocery store.

Ingredients

• 3 sticks lightly salted butter, brought to room temperature

• 1/2 cup Crisco

• 3 cups granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 5 large eggs, brought to room temperature, beaten well

• 1 tsp each extract: coconut, rum, butter, lemon, vanilla, almond

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup whole milk

Glaze

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 tsp each extract: coconut, rum, butter, lemon, vanilla, almond

Instructions

1. Make sure your butter and other ingredients are at room temperature. Grease a 10-inch nonstick tube pan very well, and preheat the oven to 300F.

2. Beat the butter and Crisco on medium-high to high speed until fluffy; add the sugar and baking powder, and continue beating until extremely light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs while the mixer is running. Add the extracts, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

4. With the mixer on low speed, add one third of the flour to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until the flour is just incorporated, but do not overmix.

5. Spoon the batter into the pan, and smooth it down; shake the pan a little. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes. Have the glaze ready to pour when the cake is removed from the oven.

6. For the glaze, on medium heat cook the sugar and water mixture long enough for the sugar to melt; then add the extracts.

7. Poke holes all around the top of the cake with an extra long toothpick. (Go as deep as you can without hitting the bottom.)

8. Pour the glaze over the cake, and then allow it to cool completely while still in the pan.