Last week was my oldest daughter’s 26th birthday. I won’t bore you with the story of how I was extremely young when I had her as evidenced by the fact that she is 26 and I am still young.

Ever since Holly was little girl she hasn’t really liked cake or many desserts for that matter. When she was little we would always have a big frosted cake at her parties, mostly for the picture of blowing out candles and of course for her friends. Then as now, she waited for the family party. Because she knew her grandmother Joyce would make her pound cake. After Joyce passed away I  continued the tradition.

I have overnighted more than one of these special cakes to my birthday girl and this Friday when she gets home she will not be disappointed. This cake is perfect. You can serve it plain, with strawberries and whipped cream or our favorite — with a glass of milk.

Yes, you start this cake in a cold oven and I promise you won’t be sorry.

Joyce’s Cold Oven Pound Cake

1 cup Crisco

3 cups sugar

5 large eggs

3 cups plain flour

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 / 2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

Grease and flour a tube pan. Mix together your flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl cream your Crisco and sugar until light. Add your eggs one at a time and mix well. Then alternately add the milk and dry ingredients to the flour mixture. Add the extracts and mix until blended. Pour into your prepared pan. Place in a cold oven; turn on the oven to 300 degrees for 2 to 2 1 / 2 hours. The top will be light golden brown and a knife inserted in the center will be clean. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes then remove the outside ring and let cool completely.

Christina Hall writes a weekly food column for The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at christina.hall@natchezdemocrat.com.