Let Them Eat Cake!

Around here cake is not just for birthday parties. It's part of every day life. When my daughter and son-in-law lived next door, he would have her call me in the evening and subtly ask if we had any "snackie treats" over here :) When I think back to my childhood, my mom always had something baked for my dad too. I'm sure that's where I get it from. It's one of the ways I show love to my family. After dinner my hubby will give me that look - that look that says "Is there any cake?" It's no suprise that I have a plethera of cake pans and recipes (mostly involving coffee, dark chocolate and almonds). A few years back when I was

reading Living You Life For Half Price, this

cookbook was mentioned. The Cake Doctor is an

amazing collection of recipes that take ordinary boxed cake mixes and turn them into something extraordinary. This recipe is one of our favorites. A couple times a year Stater Bros. has cake mixes on sale for 79 cents, so I buy 10 boxes of the ones I use the most and keep them in the pantry. This cake is so moist and wonderful all by itself or you can top it with fresh strawberries when they are in season....mmmm.

Almond Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 pkg butter recipe yellow cake mix

8 oz cream cheese at room temp

4 large eggs

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist 10" tube pan with oil.

Place cake mix, cream cheese, eggs, water, sugar, oil, vanilla and almond extract into a large mixing bowl. Blend with mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more. The batter should look well blended, not lumpy.

Pour batter into prepared pan and place in center rack in oven.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or intil the cake springs back when lightly pressed with your finger.

Cool for 20 minutes.

Pour some coffee for yourself and try to wait until the cake is cool enough to eat :)