My Grandmother's 1-2-3-4 Cake

This recipe has been handed down in my family since the 1800's. Also known as Pound Cake except there's just a little something extra special about this version. Some of you may remember me sharing this with you in the past but I think it's time to do it again. With the Holidays right around the corner this 1-2-3-4 Cake make a delicious dessert or treat to serve your guests, not to mention for yourself with a nice cold glass of milk or cup of coffee. This cake looks amazing with a pretty bow added as a gift too! Trust me! Everyone will be saying...hmm is this pound cake? Recipe PLEASE! I use my Grandmothers actual bundt pan. I love it! It was a wedding gift to her in 1932 and I still use it especially for this recipe. Talk about tradition!

• 1 cup soft margarine (2 sticks)
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon each salt and vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup milk

Get out a nice big bowl. Use electric beaters to cream together the margarine and sugar. Beat them together until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Everything should be light, fluffy, and satiny smooth. Add the baking powder, salt and vanilla. Mix well with the beaters. Add the flour alternately with the milk, in about 3 batches. Beat the batter smooth. Turn the cake batter into a large well oiled 3-quart tube pan, or a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. Bake at 350F. The tube pan should bake about an hour, and the rectangle pan should bake about 40 minutes. The cake will shrink away from the sides of the pan when it is done. This is a large and dignified cake. It doesn’t need frosting because it is so rich. But if you insist on gilding the lily, a thin glaze is most appropriate. Feel free to tweek it a little by adding chopped nuts or dried fruit.