Old-Fashioned Pound Cake

            cooking spray

3½        cups cake flour

1          teaspoon salt

2          cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

2½       cups granulated sugar

8          large eggs, at room temperature

2          teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1          tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.

Sift the flour and salt together in a small mixing bowl. Reserve.

Place the butter in the Cuisinart™ mixing bowl. Insert the flat mixing paddle. Turn to speed 1. Cream butter for 30 seconds, then turn to speed 3 for 30 seconds. Scrape both the paddle and mixing bowl well. Reduce to speed 2 and add the sugar. Increase to speed 4 until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape both the paddle and bowl well. Add the eggs one at a time on speed 2, beating after each egg is added until mixture is smooth, before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla and the lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients, slowly in 3 additions, with the stand mixer running on speed 1. Be sure to fully incorporate ingredients and be careful not to overwork the batter.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake in preheated 325°F oven for about 60 to 70 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Cool completely before cutting.