Meme's Pound Cake

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(from Virginia Willis)

1 cup (2 sticks butter) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan

3 cups White Lily or other Southern all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped OR 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, at room temperatre (preferably Crisco)

3 cups sugar

Preheat oven to 300* F. Generously grease a 16-cup (measured to the rim) bundt pan with butter. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the milk, eggs and the scraped vanilla seeds. Set aside.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the 1 cup butter, Crisco and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour and milk mixtures to the butter mixture in three batches, alternating between the dry and liquid, occasionally stopping to scrape down the side of the bowl, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Fill the prepared pan with batter (it should be no more than two-thirds full).

Bake for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 325*F and bake an additional 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove to a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a rack to cool completely. This cake will stay moist in an airtight container for up to 1 week.