Sour Cream Pound Cake+ 2 Variations

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

dairy sour cream, -- optional fresh berries, -- optional

Let butter, eggs and 1/2 cup sour cream stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease and lightly flour an 8x4x2 or 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, beating about 10 minutes or till light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Add dry mixture and sour cream alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low to medium speed after each addition just till combined. Press batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake in a 325 oven for 60 to 75 minutes or till a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan; cool on rack. If desired serve cake with sour cream and fresh berries. Makes 10 servings. Variations: ORANGE-ROSEMARY POUND CAKE Prepare as directed, except stir 1 1/4 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel and 1 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary into the batter. If desired garnish cake with fresh rosemary. LEMON-POPPY SEED POUND CAKE Prepare as directed, except substitute 1/2 cup low-fat lemon yogurt for the sour cream. Add 2 tablespoons poppy seed, 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the batter.