Pound cake

Preheat the oven to 350.

Whisk 180 g flour, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside.

Butter and flour the loaf pan and line the long sides with a paper sling.

Use room-temperature unsalted butter that yields to a finger; if cold, microwave in 10-second bursts at half power.

Cream the butter with the whisk attachment for about 10 seconds.

On medium, add 200 g sugar and beat a few minutes until light and fluffy and off-white, scraping the bowl down several times.

Crack four eggs into a cup to check for shell.

On medium, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down; the mixture will look broken.

Add 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 tbsp vanilla.

Add the flour mixture, mix a few seconds on low, then finish by hand with a spatula, bringing the bottom up, until no streaks remain; do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to the pan, shimmy and smooth the top; a bar of butter on top is optional for a dramatic crack.

Bake at 350 about 40 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean from the centre; a smaller pan may need 5 or 10 minutes more.

Cool, then slice.