"BEST EVER" BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour large bundt pan.
• Spoon flour into measuring cup, add to sifter and when all 3 cups are added, sift.
• Combine flour, sugar and baking soda in mixer bowl of standing mixer (hand-held OK if that is all you have) and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• In separate bowl, lightly beat eggs, then add buttermilk and flavorings and mix.
• Add softened butter and 1/3 of wet mixture to dry ingredients, and mix on medium speed until ingredients are just moistened.
• Scrape bowl down, then beat on high for 1 full minute, turning bowl several times and scraping down sides at least once.
• Add remainder of wet ingredients in 2 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition.
• Remove mixer bowl, scrape any batter off beaters into bowl, and with rubber spatula mix batter a few turns to insure that it is well mixed.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and firmly tap pan on counter top to pop any bubbles in the batter.
• Place on middle rack of preheated oven and cook until done, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
• If cake bakes longer than 50 minutes, you can butter a piece of foil and lay on top to avoid overbrowning.
• Don't fret if top splits in a circle concentric to the pan -- that is proper for this cake.
• When done, remove to wire rack; cool for 5 minutes, then invert pan and remove (may need to loosen edges with thin knife).
• Do not cover until cool.