The recipe for this oh-so-southern pound cake was given to us by Janelle McComb, who was Elvis Presley's friend from the time he was a boy in Tupelo,Mississippi. This buttery cream cake was one of Elvis's favorites. Janelle used to bake two loaves of it every Christmas and take them to Graceland. On a good day, Elvis could eat one all by himself, sharing the other with his entourage.

10 to 12 servings

3 cups sugar
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
7 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups cake flour, sifted twice before measuring (do not use self-risingflour)
1 cup heavy cream (not whipped)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Thoroughly butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream together the sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in half the flour, then the cream, then the other half of the flour. Beat for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set the pan in a cold oven and turn the heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 1 to 1½ hours, until a sharp knife inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove it from the pan and cool it thoroughly. Wrapped well in aluminum foil, this cake keeps for several days.