Christmas Recipes
Almond Pound Cake
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 8 ounces almond paste
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 cup blanched almonds
- 4 drops red food coloring
- 4 drops green food coloring
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until well mixed with an electric mixer.
- Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Blend in flour and salt. Mix in almond extract. Turn batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick when inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- Remove from pan, and transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
- Break off tablespoon-size pieces of the almond paste, and shape into holly leaves. Using the tip of a knife, score the shaped holly leaf to resemble veins in the leaves.
- Mix green food coloring with a small amount of water and brush the holly leaves, repeating until desired color is reached. Set aside on waxed paper.
- Break off 2 tablespoons of almond paste, and knead in several drops of red food coloring. When color of almond paste is a bright red, break off smaller pieces. Roll into balls to resemble holly berries. Place on wax paper.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and milk. Mix until smooth.
- When the cake has cooled, drizzle with the powdered sugar glaze.
- Top with blanched almonds, and garnish with the marzipan holly leaves and berries.