Makes 12 servings

Sour cream is the secret ingredient in many a pound cake. This one is based on a lemon pound cake from my family's recipe collection.

Ingredients

Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cut (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature (see Note, page 32)
• 1 teaspoon, vanilla extract
• Grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Lemon Syrup

• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup water
• 2/3 cup sugar

Procedure

1. To make the cake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch fluted tube (Bundt) pan, and tap out the excess flour.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together; set aside. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla and zest. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula. Spread evenly in the pan.
3. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 ¼ hours.
4. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Bring the lemon juice, zest, water, and sugar, to a boil over high heat and cook until it is reduced to ½ cup, about 15 minutes. Allow syrup to cool before drizzling onto the cake.
5. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle half of the syrup over the cake. Invert onto the rack and brush with the remaining syrup. Cool completely

Reprinted from BACK TO THE TABLE The Reunion of Food and Family By Art Smith. © 2001 by Art Smith.