1) Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter one 9- or 10-inch tube pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and butter the bottom again. Optional: In addition to buttering the pan, coat the sides with sugar.

2) Sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3) In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until creamy, 5 minutes.

4) Mix in the eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, nutmeg and the vanilla extract.

5) Add one-third of the flour mixture to the batter and mix well.

6) Add one-half of the buttermilk into the batter and mix well. Continue to alternate the flour mixture and the buttermilk.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Optional

1) Garnish with chopped pecans/walnuts or sliced almonds.

2) Bake in a preheated oven for 70 to 90 minutes. Do not open oven door within the first hour of baking. The cake is done when it starts to pull away from the tube pans side, or use the toothpick trick. Insert a toothpick and when it comes out clean, the cake is done cooking. After removing the cake from the oven, cool in a pan for 10 minutes.

3) Remove from the cake from the pan and place on a wire rack.

4) Let cool completely.