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