Family Favorites...Chocolate Almond Pound Cake

  One of the cakes, we like from the Duncan Hines Holiday Spectacular book is for a Chocolate Almond Pound Cake. I do not chose to add the additional chocolate chips to the batter, as none of us are as fond of chocolate as we used to be. Do feel free to add them if your family members are chocolate lovers. I also don’t use the frosting mix it calls for.

  Frosting to drizzle on a cake, is easily made. About ⅓ cup of powdered sugar and add a small amount of milk and flavoring at a time, till it is a good consistency to drizzle. I used some Amaretto Liquor I had on hand to add the almond flavoring to the icing. Almond extract will work also. Do use the frosting mix if that is what you have on hand. I just never buy it, so this is the easy way for me to make it.

  This makes a very good pound cake texture and looks good and slices well. You can dress it up with what ever you like on your cake or try using orange flavoring or maybe mint in the frosting.

  The recipe also suggests baking it in 2 loaf pans. I think that would work well to use one and freeze one. Either way, good eating with a minimum of fussing.

Chocolate Almond Pound Cake

1 ¼ cups, chopped almonds divided

1 package Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake Mix

1 package (4 serving size) instant pudding and pie filling

4 eggs

1 cup dairy sour cream

½ cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

½ cup Duncan Hines Vanilla (or flavor of your choice) Frosting

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-in. Bundt pan. Spread almonds evenly on baking sheet. Toast in 350° oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until fragrant. Cool nuts completely. Arrange ¼ cup almonds evenly in pan.

  Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 4 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips if using and remaining 1 cup toasted almonds. Pour into pan. (batter will be stiff). Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

  If using frosting mix, place frosting in microwave bowl and microwave at HIGH for 15 to 20 seconds. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

  TIP: You may also bake in two greased and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Do not sprinkle almonds in bottom of pans. Prepare batter as above. Pour into pans and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of reserved almonds on top of batter in each pan. Bake at 350° from 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 25 minutes before removing from pans.