What's another pound or so?

I remember when I used to go buy things I needed to make something. Now it seems I'm searching for recipes to use up what I have. The two tubs of sour cream seemed like a good idea at the time. Oh, I'll use it. Now there's a quarter left in one, the other hasn't even been opened yet, and they expire in a week. I needed a recipe (or two or three) to use up some of this sour cream.

I pulled out my Paula Deen cookbook, and she came to my rescue. This pound cake is fantastic! Even if I did have a little trouble getting it out of the pan. Next time I'll prepare the pan better. This cake's not light by any means, but is any Paula Deen recipe light? Pound cake has the reputation of being plain, but for all its basic ingredients, it's surprisingly flavorful.

I love this cake all by itself. But, the day after I made it, Smitten Kitchen made a pound cake with strawberry coulis (a strawberry sauce). I was hopeful the coulis would make the cake even better, but I was really disappointed. I suppose it could have been my supermarket strawberries. Those never taste like the ones from a farmers market or, even better, the berries you pick at a farm. But, this is not that season so I settled for the ones at the store. It was okay, but I liked the pound cake better without it. Maybe I'll try again when the berries are in season.

Grandmother Paul's Sour Cream Pound Cake

2 sticks butter

3 c sugar

1 c sour cream (I used light)

3 c all-purpose flour

1/2 t baking soda

6 eggs

1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together; add sour cream. Sift flour and baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture, alternately with eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 hour, 20 minutes.