Pound Cake

2 ¼ cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
5 eggs separated
1 teaspoon vanilla or brandy or any desired flavor (see below)

1. Grease a 9 X 5 loaf pan or a 9 inch diameter tube pan.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Sift flour, then measure.  Add salt, then sift again.
3. Using an electric mixer: cream butter, adding sugar gradually.  Beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg yolks.  Beat thoroughly, then add flavoring.
5. Using CLEAN beaters: beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Gently fold into the yolk mixture.
6. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients, sprinkling about ¼ cup over the surface at a time. 
7. Beat until smooth: about 2 minutes with the electric mixer on medium or 4 minutes by hand. 
8. Pour into prepared pan.  Bake at 300 degrees 1 ¼- 1 ½ hours for loaf pan or 1 – ¼ hours for tube pan. 
9. Cool and store in an airtight container.  Pound cakes are rarely frosted.

Note:  desirable flavorings include:
1 teaspoon orange extract
½ teaspoon vanilla with ½ teaspoon of lemon extract
1 teaspoon butter rum flavoring