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1. Preheat the oven to 350. With a pastry brush, spread 1 tablespoon of the softened butter over the bottom and sides of a 10-inch tube cake pan. Add 2 tablespoons of the flour and tip the pan from side to side to distribute it evenly.
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2. Invert the pan and rap the bottom sharply to remove the excess flour. Combine the remaining 2 cups of flour, the baking soda and the salt, and sift them into a bowl. Set aside.
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3. In a deep bowl, cream the remaining ½ pound of softened butter and the sugar together by beating and mashing them against the sides of the bowl with the back of a spoon until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time.
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4. Add about ½ cup of the flour mixture and, when it is well incorporated, beat in about 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk. Repeat three times, alternating ½ cup of the flour mixture with 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk and beating well after each addition. Stir the lemon extract into the batter.
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5. With a wire whisk or a rotary or electric beater, beat the egg whites until they are stiff enough to stand in unwavering peaks on the whisk or beater when it is lifted from the bowl. With a rubber spatula, scoop the egg whites over the batter and fold them together gently but thoroughly.
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6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
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7. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out on a rack to cool completely. Serve the buttermilk poundcake unfrosted. Or, if you prefer, sift a little confectioners' sugar over the top and sides of the cake before serving.
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