Liqueur-soaked Pound Cake ------------------------- 1-1/2 c. unsalted butter or margarine, softened 3-3/4 c. powdered sugar 6 fresh, large eggs 1 t. vanilla 2-3/4 c. cake flour (all-purpose may be substituted) liqueur syrup (recipe follows) Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter 4 3x9-inch loaf pans, or 5 mini loaf pans. Dust with flour. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until creamy. Sift powdered sugar, gradually add to butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well each time. Add vanilla. Gradually mix in cake flour. Scrape batter evenly into pans; smooth the tops. Bake about 50 minutes, or until cakes test done; meanwhile, make syrup (recipe below). When cakes are done, cool in pans for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each pan, turn cake out, then immediately return cake to pan. With a wooden skewer or fork, poke 1-inch deep holes all over top of cake about 1/2 inch apart. Immediately pour equal amounts of the syrup over each cake. Let cool for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and serve, or wrap securely and keep in refrigerator up to 1 month or the freezer for 6 months. Bring to room temperature before serving. ----------------------- Liqueur Syrup ------------- 2 c. sugar 1/2 c. light corn syrup 3/4 c. water 1-1/4 c. rum or almond-, hazelnut-, or orange-flavored liqueur Combine first 3 ingredients in a 2- or 3-quart saucepan. Set over medium-high heat and stir slowly till mixture simmers. Continue heating, WITHOUT stirring, till mixture boils, then cover and boil until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear, about 1 minute. (Do not stir while mixture is boiling, either). Remove from heat and uncover. Let stand about 5 minutes to cool slightly. Stir in the rum or liqueur. Use immediately, or cool, cover and let stand at room temperature up to overnight. NOTE: I found this made a LOT of syrup, so you may wish to double the cake recipe above in order to use it all.) Makes 3-1/2 cups of syrup.