CAMMY CAKE

This was Granny Cowan's and then Granny Travis's famous pound cake that all the grandkids loved, and now my children love it as well.  Justin remembers Granny Cowan always leaving a little batter in the bottom of the bowl for whichever grandkid was there to lick the bowl.  One of his cousins was named Cammy and somehow the name Cammy Cake stuck.  We all love to heat a slice in the microwave for a few seconds and spread a little butter on it.  I often use it as the base for a strawberry shortcake, but then the rest of it is eaten plain.  I have never made one that lasted 24 hours.   I didn't make this cake for years because I kept getting a doughy ring through the middle no matter how I baked it. Lauren and Eric loved the doughy ring, but I was always embarrassed to serve something that fell and didn't look like it should.  The original recipe said to throw everything in a mixing bowl and beat it for 15 minutes.  My theory is that when this recipe was originated mixers weren't very good, but our Kitchen Aid mixers now put too much air into it when it is beaten so long causing it to fall and leave a doughy ring.  So I decided to mix it like I would any scratch cake, and it has turned out perfectly both times.  My family will no longer be deprived of one of their favorite desserts!  The pink cake plate was my moms and was the one she always used, so it feels very special to blend our two families traditions.

1 c. Crisco shortening or butter (I use butter.)

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 t. vanilla
1 t. butter flavoring

3 c. flour, sifted
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
1 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat the butter and sugar on a low speed just until blended.  Add eggs one at a time and continue beating on low speed.  Add flavorings and beat until blended.  Mix the soda and salt into the sifted flour.  With the mixer on low speed alternate the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat until mixed well, only a minute or two.  Don't over mix.

Pour the batter into an uncreased angel food cake pan that has a center piece that lifts out once the cake is done.  Bake for an hour without opening oven door.  Test with a toothpick and if it comes out clean take the pan out of the oven to cool.  If not, continue baking, testing it every 5 minutes.  

Set the cake plan on a cooling rack.  Let it cool in the pan.  When ready to transfer it to a cake plate, run a knife around the outside edge and the middle part of the pan.  Lift the metal insert out of the pan and run a knife around the bottom of the cake to loosen the last bit of cake.  Lift it out and set it onto a cake plate.  It is dense enough that it should easily stay together.  Keep covered so that it doesn't dry out.