Pound Cake With Mascarpone Apricots Amaretto And Almonds Food

AWARD-WINNING MASCARPONE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Coat a 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan with solid vegetable shortening, then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Or, spray with cake release, my favorite!
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, shortening, and mascarpone until smooth.
• Add sugar and beat until fluffy, mixture will lighten in color slightly.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Slowly add flour to mixture and combine.
• Add vanilla, butter, and almond extracts and combine.
• Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean or with 'dry' crumbs.
• Allow to cool on the countertop on a wire rack 15 minutes before inverting on a serving tray. Cool completely before covering.
• Cake can be stored in an air-tight container on the counter-top for 3 to 4 days or refrigerator for one week.

TOASTED POUND CAKE WITH MASCARPONE AND AMARETTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the pound cake slices on a large heavy baking sheet and toast in oven for 7 to 10 minutes until the slices turn golden brown. Alternatively, toast the pound cake slices in an electric toaster until golden.
• Stir the apricot preserves and amaretto in a small bowl to blend.
• Place 1 cake slice atop each of 6 plates. Spoon the mascarpone cheese atop the cake slices. Arrange the remaining cake slices offset atop the bottom cake slices. Spoon the apricot mixture over. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve immediately.

AMARETTO ALMOND POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening; lightly flour. Sprinkle almonds in bottom of pan.
• In large bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups butter and the cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add 3 tablespoons amaretto and the vanilla, beating just until blended. Gradually add flour, beating on low speed just until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Pour batter over almonds in pan.
• Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• During last 10 minutes of baking, mix glaze ingredients in 1-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Gradually spoon hot glaze over cake, allowing it to soak into cake after each addition. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

TOASTED POUND CAKE WITH MASCARPONE AND AMARETTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the almonds on a large, heavy baking sheet, and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are fragrant and light golden brown, about 7 minutes. Let cool completely.
• In a small bowl, stir the apricot preserves and amaretto to blend. Working in batches, toast the pound cake slices in a toaster until golden.
• Place 1 cake slice atop each of six plates, and spoon the mascarpone cheese atop the cake slices. Arrange the remaining cake slices offset atop the bottom cake slices. Spoon the apricot mixture over. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve immediately.