Almond Pound Cake with Cherry-Berry Sauce

Create a memorable dessert cake family and friends will request again and again.

Makes 16 servings

Pound Cake:
3 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 can (12.5 ounces) almond pastry filling

Cherry-Berry Sauce:
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dried cherries, halved
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup orange juice

Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and side of 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening; lightly flour. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

2. In large bowl, beat 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, the butter, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour mixture, milk and pastry filling on low speed until blended. Spread in pan.

3. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, cook all Cherry-Berry Sauce ingredients over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries pop and mixture boils and thickens slightly. Store covered in refrigerator.

5. In chilled small bowl, beat all Sweetened Whipped Cream ingredients with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Serve cake with whipped cream and warm sauce.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 430 (Calories from Fat 180); Total Fat 20g (Saturated Fat 8g, Trans Fat ncg); Cholesterol 110mg; Sodium 250mg; Total Carbohydrate 56g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars ncg); Protein 6g

Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 8%; Iron 8%

Exchanges: 2 Starch; 1 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 3 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How-To
To reheat sauce, microwave in microwavable bowl uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Betty Crocker 2007/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved