Rum Trifle

1/2 cup light rum
3/4 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1 small box vanilla pudding (not instant)
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup chilled heavy cream
8 cups angel food cake, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 maraschino cherries
Sliced almonds, toasted

Pour rum over raisins and slivered almonds in a small bowl. Let soak 1 hour. In a medium saucepan, mix pudding with 2 1/2 cups milk. Cook over medium heat until it boils. When pudding has cooled, whip the chilled cream and fold one-half of the whipped cream into pudding. In trifle bowl or other pretty, clear crystal bowl, layer 1/3 cake cubes. Sprinkle with 1/3 rum mixture, then 1/3 pudding. Repeat layer twice, ending with pudding. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 3 hours and a maximum of 24 hours before serving. Garnish with remaining whipped cream, maraschino cherries and toasted sliced almonds.

Yields 10 servings.