This is a Southern Living recipe my friend - and then, neighbor - Melanie and I discovered when our oldests were babies. We both had the grocery list etched internally and could whip it up pretty much without cracking the book. Until now. My eyesight is hit or miss these days, and I interpreted the measurement on the butter as 1 1/2 POUNDS ... so I put in 6 sticks instead of 3. Coronary on a plate! Guess what, though? It's delicious. And it ought to be!
Oh, the pic was taken with my phone which doesn't have a flash ... the dark exterior of the cake is a shadow. Live and in person, it's a buttery, golden color all over.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups butter, softened (that's 3 sticks ... or you can double it like I did!)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs (best at room temp)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Note: I find it helpful to unwrap the butter and cream cheese and place in the mixer bowl several hours before planning to mix; just throw a dish towel over the top to keep it safe.
Beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar, one cup at a time, mixing between each addition. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.
Place flour and salt in a bowl; stir lightly to incorporate. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture while mixing at low speed. Don't over-mix. Stir in the vanilla by hand using a large spatula or wooden spoon. Batter will have lots of volume.
Spoon batter into a well-greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan (the P'Chef Stoneware Fluted Pan works GREAT). Bake at 300F for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Personally, I'm okay with it still be a bit moist inside; gives it character. I take it out at the time limit no matter what. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes -- this gives you time to pick at all the flaky layers calling your name from what will eventually be the bottom of the cake. Go ahead. No one will see. :)
Flip it over onto a wire rack to cool completely. Stores at room temperature. Doesn't need icing, but add whatever you like. Warning: fresh berries and cream will make this cake twice as dangerous!
