Lemon-Lime Pound Cake

My sister's mention of using 7-Up in cakes during the 70s brought back many pleasant memories of the marathon baking that we used to do for Christmas as the Monsoon rains pounded the windows. And as luck would have it, Southern Living's February issued featured this Lemon-Lime Pound Cake on the front cover, tempting me -- "bake me ... bake me" ... it called out to me.  And this weekend I gave in.

1 1/2 cups (12 oz.) butter, softened

3 cups sugar

5 large eggs, room temperature

2 Tbsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup lemon-lime soft drink (7-Up/Sprite)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla extract.

4. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with lemon-lime drink, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition.

5. Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.

6. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean. Check on cake after 40 minutes to make sure that cake doesn't brown too quickly (tent with foil if it does).

7. Cool cake in pan for 10 - 20 minutes; remove cake from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.

8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or make a glaze with powdered sugar and lemon juice (I use 1 cup of powdered sugar and about 3 tsp. of lemon juice -- add a teaspoon at a time).