Petra’s “Not Just Right” Pound Cake
Petra Broberg was a dear friend of Billie’s. She was one of the first graduates of the Chicago School of Nursing in the early 1900s. When Petra was engaged to be married, her best friend became terminally ill. Before she died she asked Petra to raise her two small daughters. Petra agreed, but her beau flew from the altar at the prospect of a ready-made family. From that time on, Petra dedicated her life to taking care of other people and children whom no one else could care for or wanted. Billie and Petra met while Billie was in the children’s home in Savannah and Petra was the director of the Fresh Air Home on Tybee Island, Georgia. Petra took Billie “under her wings.” After Billie grew up and started her family, several years passed before she and Petra were reunited while visiting the same church in Savannah. This time Billie took Petra “under her wings,” and Petra lived with Billie and Louis until her death in 1987.
One of Petra’s favorite hobbies was cooking. She had mastered this recipe and made one of the best pound cakes anywhere. One reason may have been that after pouring the batter into the tube pan, she would bang the pan on the counter to “eliminate air pockets,” an act that would often cause Louis to check on her to see if she was destroying the kitchen. When she served her pound cake, she would always say that “it’s not just right” and enjoyed everyone telling her, “Oh, no, it’s wonderful.”
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grease and flour a tube pan. Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and the sugar. Whip until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating at least 1 minute between each addition. In a small bowl mix the sour cream and baking soda. Alternately add the sour cream mixture and the flour to the egg mixture, beating 1 minute between each addition. Add the vanilla. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared tube pan, tapping the pan lightly on the counter to eliminate any air pockets. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes until light brown. Test to be sure the cake is done. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 35 minutes before removing it.
YIELD: 1 LARGE POUND CAKE