Teaching Katie to boil water - Buttermilk Pound Cake

I had the cutest little grandmother ever.  She was actually my step grandmother, I think I was 4 when they married.  But, she is the only grandmother I ever had.  I'm pretty sure I was her favorite, even being part of the step family...

Katie is named after her.  Her name was Katie Bell.  I remember sitting by her when I was a little girl telling her how when I had a daughter I was going to name her Katie.  She replied "just don't name her

Katie Bell". 

She was one of those warm, fluffy, sweet grandmothers.

One who always had good food cooked. 
I remember that kitchen, how it smelled, where everything was, and how hot it was!  I'm pretty sure it was like 150 degrees in there every time she cooked...that window unit in the living room didn't help the kitchen...
She always had an apron on when she was cooking.  I remember her wiping her hands on that apron like a dish towel...She never took it off till my grandfather started the blessing.

If you were lucky enough to visit in the afternoon, say around 3ish, then there was always a little dessert and coffee. 

I can remember the smell and sound of the coffee pot percolating and knowing it was a sign that we could have a little afternoon treat soon.  I was always very excited if the desert happened to be her Buttermilk Pound Cake.  It was my favorite of all the afternoon treats! 

I have this recipe but don't make it often, but when I made it a month or two ago Katie, who doesn't like sweets, ate almost the whole cake.

Last night when I asked Katie to put water on to boil and she replied "I don't know how" I almost died!
Kellie could cook a meal with no help.  How did Katie miss all the cooking info.

So, today, in the first installment of teaching Katie to boil water and other essentials, we started with something I knew she would like to eat.... The Pound Cake from her grandmother. 

The best friend was here for the lesson so they both started with aprons

Katie learned to separate eggs, measure and fold today

She was very excited to get to use the mixer Kellie asked for at Christmas

Here Katie was telling her to "just wipe it out"

the pay off

Katie's Butter Milk Pound Cake

3 Cups Sugar

1 Cup butter, softened

6 eggs, separated

1 tsp almond extract

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp soda

1 cup Buttermilk

Preheat over to 350.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg yolks one at a time beating after each.  Add flavoring.  Sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture alternating with buttermilk.  Begin and end with dry ingregients.  Beat egg whites till stiff.  Fold into batter.  Bake in a greased and floured tube pan for approx 1 hour and 10 min.