Instructions: Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan. Separate eggs and beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry, set aside. In large mixer bowl, cream Crisco; add sugar gradually, while beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix the flavorings and the vanilla with the milk.

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mix until just blended after each addition.

DO NOT OVERMIX OR THE CAKE WILL BE TOUGH.

Fold in beaten egg whites thoroughly by hand. (Batter will be thick.) Pour into a greased and floured Bundt pan.

Bake in a 350F oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.

Cool cake in the pan for 15 minutes and then remove to serving plate and cool completely before glazing with optional glaze. Keep in a covered container.

For Optional Glaze:
Blend powdered sugar and milk together until glaze is pouring consistency.E Drizzle over cooled cake.

Sprinkle pecans over glaze.

NOTES : It is very important that you gradually add the sugar to the Crisco and beat it until it is light and fluffy or else the sugar will not be properly incorporated into the batter and the cake will be tough. The flour also needs to be sifted and then measured or the cake will be too heavy. You want a dense, but light and velvety texture and not a heavy texture. This is the hallmark of a true pound cake.

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