Pound Cake

We had a little Christmas Potluck at work this week. I made one of my usual Christmas cakes. I made it twice actually (long story). Here's the recipe...

Bourbon-Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup bourbon (you can substitute the same amount of milk, but why would you want to?)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups toasted pecans (I used walnuts on cake number 2).

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed in mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually, add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears into the batter.

Sift together flour and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with the bourbon, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Fold in vanilla and pecans. Pour into a greased and floured 12 cup tube pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely. Finish with Powdered Sugar Glaze.

Powdered Sugar Glaze

Stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth, adding another tablespoon milk, if necessary for desired consistency.

To decorate, drizzle the glaze over the cake. Then if you wish, pile flaked coconut on top and arrange sugared rosemary stems and cranberries around the cake. To sugar the rosemary and cranberries, heat 1/4 cup corn syrup in the microwave. Brush lightly the leaves and cranberries with the syrup, then sprinkle with sugar. Let set on waxed paper for up to 24 hours, or use them immediately.