1 c Butter Or Margarine — at
Room temperature
1 1/4 c Sugar
3 lg Eggs
2 ts Baking Powder
2 ts Lemon Peel — grated
3/4 ts Almond Extract
3 c All-Purpose Flour
1 c Milk
-LEMON GLAZE-
3/4 c Lemon Juice
1 lb Powdered Sugar — unsifted
In a bowl, combine butter and sugar; beat with an electric mixer on high
speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then mix in
baking powder, lemon peel, and almond extract. With mixer on low speed,
add flour and milk alternately, beating well after each addition. With a
flexible spatula, scrape batter into a heavyily buttered and floured 10-cup
plain or decorative tube pan. Tap pan smartly on counter several times to
level batter and get rid of any air pockets. Bake on center of rack of a
325 degree oven until cake begins to pull from pan sides, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, smoothly blend 3/4 cup lemon juice into 1 pound
ofunsifted powdered sugar. Set aside for glazing. Set pan on a rack and
let cool for 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edge of tube to loosen
center of cake from pan. Place rack on top of pan and invert gently to
release cake from pan. Invert again to return cake to pan. With a thin
wooden skewer, pierce through cake at 1-inch intervals. Pour all but 1/2
cup of lemon glaze over hot cake. Let cool completely on rack, at least 6
hours, then invert cake onto a serving plate and remove pan. Stir reserved
glaze and spoon evenly over top of cake. Serve, or cover airtight and let
stand until next day. Garnish with lemon slices and grapes (if desired);
cut into thin slices.
Yields
10 Servings