you can't fake pound cake

Strawberry Pound Cake

4 large eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/ 2cups unbleached flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (NOT margarine)
1 1/4 cups white sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325*. Coat the inside of a 9x5-inch loaf pan with shortening and dust it with flour, knocking out excess flour.
2. Combine eggs and vanilla in a small bowl and lightly beat. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Combine butter and 1 1/4 C sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with electric mixture on medium-high speed until fluffy, about three minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
4. Add the egg mixture and combine thoroughly, scraping the sides of the bowl.
5. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, scraping the flour down after each addition. After the last addition, beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minute, invert it onto a wire rack, then turn right-side up to cool completely.

This pound cake will keep at room temperature (wrapped in plastic) for up to 3 days or refrigerated up to one week.

Strawberry Sauce

6 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/4 cup white sugar

1. Combine the strawberries and sugar (more or less to taste, depending on how tart the berries are)
2. Let the mixture stand for about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sugar dissolves.

Slice the cake into thick slices (you should get 10 slices from the loaf). Spoon the strawberry sauce atop and heap with whipped cream.

Pound Cake Secrets:

* You can use other summer fruit available: blueberries, raspberries, peeled and thinly sliced peaches, plums, apricots or even mangoes instead of strawberries.
* Room temperature eggs blend better and result in fluffier baked goods.
* Butter makes a better pound cake than margarine.
* The pound cake will be richer if you add the ingredients in little portions and blend them thoroughly.
* The top will be a better shape if you flatten the batter before baking.
* If you don't have a cooling rack, take one of the racks out of your oven before you heat it up to help the air circulate around the cake as it cools.
* Do not wrap the cake too tightly in plastic or seal the lid completely on a plastic container or it will "sweat" and get soggy.