Amaretto Pound Cake

This is a traditional pound cake, kicked up a notch by the addition of amaretto.

• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup amaretto
• 3-1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract

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Grease and flour 2 loaf pans or one 10" tube pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine milk, sour cream, and amaretto and set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Beat shortening, butter, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating very well after each. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with with liquid ingredients in three portions (beginning and ending with flour). Pour batter into pan(s) and bake for 60-90 minutes, or until crust is golden and a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

This is absolutely the best. Sweet and rich with a magnificent crust, this cake is perfect for any occasion. Try it plain with a cup of tea or coffee, or serve it with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries for a special dessert. Not a cake for dieters!

• 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup (2 cubes) butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup sour cream
  

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Sift together flour, salt and baking soda.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl at medium speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extract and continue beating. The total beating time should be 10 minutes.

Add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream, mixing well after each addition (do not overbeat at this stage). Pour batter into well-greased 10” tube or bundt pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Poppy Seed Pound Cake

I love anything with poppy seeds.

• 1/2 POUND BUTTER, SOFTENED
• 1-1/2 CUPS SUGAR
• 4 EGGS, SEPARATED
• 8 OZ. SOUR CREAM
• 1 TSP BAKING SODA
• 2 CUPS PRE-SIFTED FLOUR
• 1 TBLSP VANILLA
• 3 OZ. POPPY SEEDS

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In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and egg yolks. Add the sour cream, baking soda, flour, vanilla, and poppy seeds. Beat the egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the batter.

Spoon batter into a greased and floured bundt or tube pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approx. 55 minutes. Allow cake to sit in pan for about 2 minutes, then turn onto a rack to cool. If desired, brush cake all over with rum.

Dust cake with powdered sugar before serving.

Kahlua Chocolate Chip Cake

Rich, fudgy and very good!
This bundt cake keeps well and makes enough servings for a crowd--a great choice for office parties

• 1 PKG. DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE MIX
• 4 EGGS
• 1 CUP SOUR CREAM
• 1 CUP KAHLUA OR COFFEE-FLAVORED LIQUEUR
• 3/4 CUP VEGETABLE OIL
• 1 CUP SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS

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In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, sour cream, Kahlua and vegetable oil. Using electric mixer, beat at low speed to blend, then increase speed and beat for 3-5 minutes at medium-fast speed.

Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into greased and floured 10-inch bundt or tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan on rack for 30 minutes. Loosen from pan and invert, removing pan. Cool completely on rack.

This cake does not require frosting—a dusting of powdered sugar is more than sufficient (or, for a cake that really packs a wallop, brush Kahlua over warm cake and omit the powdered sugar topping).

Pat's Amaretto-Poppyseed Bundt

Easy and Excellent!

The convenience of using a cake mix can be a lifesaver when you come home exhausted and it's your turn to bring in tomorrow's office celebration cake.

• 1 PKG. YELLOW CAKE MIX (NOT “PUDDING IN THE MIX” TYPE)
• 1 SMALL PKG. INSTANT VANILLA PUDDING
• 1 CUP AMARETTO
• 1/2 CUP VEGETABLE OIL
  
• 4 EGGS
• 3 TBSP. POPPY SEEDS
  

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Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt or tube pan.

Combine all ingredients and beat with electric mixer at medium-high speed for two minutes or until fluffy. Pour batter into pan and bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. If desired, dust cooled cake with powdered sugar or top with a thin glaze.