Strawberry Shortcake

Recently, on a gluten free message forum; a woman commented that she missed Sara Lee pound cake. The following recipe is not exactly like Sara Lee pound cake, but I think it's better.  It's a recipe that has been in our family for years. We converted it to gluten free, and it tastes just as good. This cake is dense, moist, and buttery, just like a good pound cake should be. It's delicious by itself, but it also makes for an excellent strawberry shortcake!


Southern Plain Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks)
• 1/2 cup shortening (For soy free or non-hydrogenated use palm oil or coconut oil which are both solid at room temperature.)
• 2 1/2 cups sugar (The original recipe calls for 3 cups, but we tried it with 2 1/2 and it is just as good. But if you really want the sugar go for all 3.)
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups *gluten free flour mix and 3 tsp. xanthan gum.
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder (make sure the label says gluten free.)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. Vanilla (Or any other flavoring. I have tried almond and I really liked it.)

*Gluten Free Flour Mix
2 parts rice flour
2/3 part potato starch
1/3 part tapioca flour
ex. 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour. This will yield 3 cups flour.


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 
Grease tube pan. 
Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar. 
Add eggs, whip until creamy. 
Sift flour and baking powder. 
Add slowly to butter mixture until completely mixed. 
Add milk and vanilla together. 
Pour slowly into batter and whip until creamy. 
Pour into greased tube pan. 
Bake for 1 hour. Check cake and bake for 1/2 hour more or until done. 
Butter cake top while hot (optional)