The Bag Lady's Favorite Chocolate Pound Cake
From: The Lady & Sons Just Desserts by Paula H. Deen
(Simon & Schuster; May 2002; ISBN: 0743224841; Spiral)
Cookbook Heaven at Recipelink.com

In the early days of The Bag Lady, this cake was definitely one of those foods on the top of my customers' love list. I made sure that I baked and served it at least once a week. I hope you love it too. This cake freezes very well and is a great treat to have on hand for unexpected or drop-in company. Die-hard chocoholics might want to just throw on their favorite chocolate icing.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Add flour and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and mix well.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 3/4 hours, or until cake is done. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto cake plate and serve.