LEMON LAVENDER POUND CAKE

First-Place Winner, Rona Vrooman

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

½ lb. unsalted butter

2 c. sugar

2½ c. sifted all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

4 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks

½ c. buttermilk

1 Tbs. grated lemon zest

1 Tbs. strained lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Set rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Place buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a bowl and set aside. Do not beat. Place butter, sugar, flour and baking powder in stand mixer with paddle. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Add buttermilk mixture to mixer in 3 additions, beating 1 minute between each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom with spatula as needed. Stop mixer before fully incorporated and finish mixing by hand. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with spatula. Bake for approximately 1 hour until cake is golden and tester inserted in cente...