Equipment:

10" bundt or tube pan
Pastry brush for buttering pan
Measuring cups and spoons
2 small and 1 large mixing bowl
Sieve (or small strainer)
Beaters or stand mixer (or wooden spoon)
Spatula
Cooling rack

Prepare the pan and preheat the oven to 325°. Butter the bundt pan, being sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle in a few spoonfuls of flour and tap the pan to distribute. Tap out excess flour.

Sift the dry ingredients. Sift the 3 cups of flour, baking soda and salt into a small bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the eggs and vanilla. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and add the vanilla. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Fold in the flour and sour cream. Sift half of the flour over the butter and egg mixture, and stir gently with spatula. Add the sour cream and continue to stir gently. Sift the remaining flour over the batter and stir until all the flour has been incorporated.

Pour the batter into prepared pan. Gently pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan softly against the counter to remove air bubbles.

Bake the pound cake. Bake for 60 minutes and check the cake. The cake is done with the top is deep golden-brown and a skewer or paring knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. If batter or wet crumbs cling to the blade, continue baking. Check every 5 minutes until the cake is done.

Remove from oven and cool. When the tester comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack and wiggle the pan gently until it lifts off of the cake. Allow the cake to cool for another hour.