One Step Pound Cake

This is Louise's original pound cake recipe with a few variations listed at the bottom.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 60-70 minutes

2 1/4 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp grated lemon peel

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup butter, softened

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

3 eggs

Grease and flour a 12-cup (10-inch) Bundt or Tube pan.  Preheat oven to 325F.  Blend all ingredients at low speed of electric mixer.  Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.  Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until top of cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool cake upright in pan for 15 minutes; remove from pan.  Cool completely.  Dust top with powdered sugar, icing, or leave plain.

Variations:
Substitute orange peel for lemon peel
Add a small package instant lemon with the rest of the ingredients
Glaze top with a lemon glaze
Omit lemon peel and add a small package instant vanilla pudding to recipe

Quadruple Chocolate Pound Cake

Another one of my mother-in-law's wonderful recipes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 60-70 minutes

Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter, softened
8 oz. sour cream
3 eggs
3 Tbsp chocolate syrup
Small box instant chocolate pudding
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease and dust with cocoa powder a 12-cup (10-inch) Bundt or Tube pan.  Preheat oven to 325F.  Blend all ingredients at low speed of electric mixer.  Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.  Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until top of cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool cake upright in pan for 15 minutes; remove from pan.  Cool completely.  Glaze or drizzle chocolate glaze over cake.

Chocolate Glaze:
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp corn syrup
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp vanilla

Melt butter, corn syrup, and chocolate chips in microwave for 30 seconds; stir.  Microwave at 15 second intervals stirring after each time until melted.  Stir in vanilla.  Scoop into a plastic bag and cut off the tip of one corner.  Squeeze chocolate to drizzle over cake.


Other options:
Dust top with powdered sugar and serve with cherry pie filling on top of slices
Dust top with a mixture of powdered sugar and cocoa powder
Instead of dusting pan with cocoa powder, dust pan with raw sugar