Almond Mascarpone Pound Cake

When it comes to Italian desserts, there are only two or three that come to mind - tiramisu, gelatos, and biscotti. Of these, I have never tried (nor do I have the right equipment or knowledge) to make a gelato or biscotti. So, I challenged myself to use ingredients commonly used in Italian cuisine to make the kind of dessert I am comfortable with.
So, this is a simple pound cake that is flavored with amaretto and softened with mascarpone. Due to the butter and mascarpone, the resulting cake is buttery soft, but it is not too rich or cloying. Perfect with a cup of espresso!

Ingredients:

1. 1.5 cups mascarpone cheese
2. 1.5 sticks butter, at room temperature
3. 3 eggs
4. 1.5 cups all purpose flour
5. 1.25 cups sugar
6. 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
7. 3/4 teaspoon salt
8. 2 tablespoons amaretto / almond liqueur
9. 1/2 cup slivered almonds
10. 1 tablespoon almond extract

Preparation:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan (Note: I am not sure if this is because of my oven, but the edges of the cake baked much faster than the center, so I suggest wrapping the sides of the loaf pan with aluminum foil)
2.  Cream together butter and sugar until soft, creamy and smooth.
3. Add eggs and beat until fluffy and smooth
4. Add almond extract and amaretto and mascarpone and beat gently until mixed
5. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl - flour, baking powder and salt
6.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in small batches and mix gently
7. Finally, add the slivered almonds and mix 
8. Transfer batter to the loaf pan, smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter to rid air bubbles. Bake for 60-65 minutes until cake tester comes out clean
9. Cool the cake on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes, loosen the edges of the cake and invert onto a plate.

Serve the cake with a drizzle of amaretto, fresh berries, and toasted almonds.