Elvis Presley’s Favorite Pound Cake

I started making this cake 10 years ago and have never found a better pound cake recipe.

2 sticks (1 c) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 c sifted cake flour (sift before measuring)*
3⁄4 t salt
3 c sugar
7 eggs, at room temperature
2 t vanilla
1 c heavy cream

Place the oven rack in the middle position, but do not preheat the oven.

Generously butter a 10” tube pan or a 10” bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Sift together sifted flour and salt into a bowl. Repeat sifting into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with a stand mixer using the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat at medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Batter will become creamier and satiny.

Spoon batter into pan and rap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles. Place the pan in a COLD oven and turn oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1⁄4 hours. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely.

Keeps well covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for 5 days.

*To make cake flour substitute:

Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift together to aerate and mix well the flour and cornstarch.

Measure 1 cup and use (you may end up with more than a cup due to aeration).