Cranberry Pound Cake with Almonds

Here's a delicious cake to make for your family during the holidays. The original recipe appeared in Good Housekeeping. I have altered it slightly. This recipe is especially good when it has set for 1-2 days. Delicious.

3 cups fresh cranberries
2 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons Princess Cake Flaving

Glaze:
1 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Sliced almonds for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small saucepan, combine cranberries, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until cranberries begin to burst, stirring frequently. Cool completely.

Grease 12-cup Bundt pan; dust lightly with flour. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add remaining sugar, mixing well between additions, beating for 3-4 minutes. Add eggs, one-at-a-time, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in vanilla extract and Princess Emulsion. Add flour mixture and mix until combined.

Spoon half of batter into prepared pan. Spread cooled cranberry mixture in an even layer over batter. Top with remaining batter. Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack and cool completely.

To make glaze, in small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Whisk together until smooth and creamy. Drizzle over cake. Garnish with sliced almonds. Serves 16.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe.