Pound Cake

• Do NOT preheat the oven!
• Use a pastry brush to grease a 12-cup Bundt or cast iron fluted cake pan with a thin layer of vegetable shortening. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
• Use a sifter or metal strainer to sift the flour into a medium size bowl. Add baking powder and salt, set aside.
• In either a large bowl using an electric hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and vegetable shortening. With the stand mixer on low to medium add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time only until combined. Mix on low to medium speed.
• Add vanilla extract, almond extract, buttermilk and the dry ingredients. Mix only until the batter is smooth and combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• Use a rubber spatula to scoop the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Gently spread the batter around evenly.
• Place the cake into a COLD oven. Set the temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes. Test with a toothpick when inserted comes out mostly clean, with only a few moist crumbs.
• About 45-60 minutes into the baking process, VERY carefully rotate your baking pan 180 degrees. This will help the cake bake evenly. Be very careful not to bump the cake or it will fall!
• Remove from the oven and let the cake cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the baking pan. (The cake will be slightly cooled, but still warm.)
• Use a baking rack on top of the cake and carefully flip the cake over. The cake should fall out of the cake pan. Carefully lift up the cake pan off the cake.
• Let the cake cool completely before slicing.
• Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream if desired.