Sherry-soaked Almond Cake With Mixed Berries

-SYRUP-
1 1/4 c Cream Sherry
1/3 c Sugar
1/4 c Butter; (1/2 stick)
1/4 ts Almond extract
Lightly sweetened whipped
-cream
1 Basket boysenberries;
-blackberries or
; raspberries
; (1/2-pint)
1 Basket strawberries; hulled,
-halved
; (1-pint)

For cake: Preheat oven to 325F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter tube pan
with 3 1/2-inch-high sides. Finely grind toasted almonds in processor.
Blend in flour and baking powder. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 2/3
cup sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in almond paste a few pieces at
a time. Add vanilla extract and beat until mixture resembles paste. Add 3
whole eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 3 egg
yolks. Stir in dry ingredients. Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry
beaters, beat 3 egg whites in medium bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add
remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold white
into batter in 2 additions.

Pour batter into prepared pan (batter will fill pan less than halfway).
Bake until tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean, about 45
minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 1 hour. Pierce top of cake all over with
wooden skewer.

For syrup: Combine cream Sherry, sugar and butter in heavy small saucepan.
Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer until reduced to 1 cup,
about 15 minutes. Mix in almond extract. Let syrup stand until just cool.
Brush half of syrup over cake in pan. Let cake stand 1 hour. Turn cake out
onto platter. Reheat remaining syrup just until butter melts. Pierce more
holes in cake. Brush syrup over cake. Let cake stand 30 minutes. (Can be
prepared 1 day ahead. Cover cake and let stand at room temperature.)

Cut cake into wedges. Garnish with dollops of sweetened whipped cream and
berries and serve.

Serves 8.