Pound Cake, Little House Style

1 pound butter, unsalted
1 pound sugar, granulated
8 medium eggs
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1/2 teaspoon mace, ground
4 cups flour, sifted

At least an hour before starting, set out all refrigerated ingredients to warn to room temperature. In a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Gradually work in the sugar and blend until mixture is no longer grainy. Add salt to eggs; beat eggs until light colored and foamy, about five minutes. Add nutmeg and mace to eggs. Stir eggs gradually into sugar butter mixture. Sift flour and beat in gradually, stirring only long enough to blend all ingredients. The finished batter will be quite stiff. Smooth the batter into an ungreased tube pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake another 30 minutes. When a new broomstraw or toothpick poked in the center comes out dry and the cake edges pull away from the pan, remove pan from oven and cool. Turn cake out and serve unfrosted.