Grandmother Kailing’s Pound Cake
Who passed this recipe down to you? Beulah Collette Kailing (my great-grandmother), to my grandmother, to my parents, to me
Recipe origin: West Virginia, USA
How old is this recipe? Most likely from the 1940s
The story behind the recipe:
Born in 1915 in McDowell County, West Virginia, Beulah Mae Collette grew up to be Mrs. Kailing. Even though she was my great-grandmother, I knew her simply as “Grandmother,” and I was blessed to know her for the first ten and a half years of my life. In addition to being her namesake (her maiden name became my middle name), I also inherited her quiet voice, slow eating, and, some might say, her feisty side as well.
When it comes to pound cakes, hers was always my favorite (especially served with fresh fruit, like peaches), and the recipe is another treasured piece of inheritance from her. I'm not sure whether the recipe came from her mother or from a friend, but my grandmother thinks it likely dates to at least the early 1940s.
Ingredients:
- 3 sticks margarine (I use butter)
- 1 lb. confectioners sugar (3.75 - 4 cups)
- 6 eggs
- 3 cups sifted flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp lemon flavoring
How to make it:
Cream shortening (i.e., margarine/butter) and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Mix in flour and flavorings. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan.
Bake at 300-325 (F) for 1 hour and 25 min. Cool 10-15 min. in pan on wire rack before removing.
It's easier than ever to tell beatiful food stories.