I always have the ingredients around for pound cake, although I don't think of making one much. But faced with a potluck party one night, and not much in the fridge, I whipped together this recipe. It was based on a pound cake recipe called Funeral Cake, as it came from a writer's grandmother who traditionally made it for funerals. I added cornmeal and skipped the lemon and orange extracts and added an extra dose of vanilla. It's a perfect base for strawberry shortcake, ice cream or fruit. The cornmeal gives the tender cake a subtle grittiness we love.