Irish Cream and Coffee Pound Cake with Irish Cream Glaze

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
Irish Cream Glaze (recipe follows)
2 to 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer about 2 minutes or until soft and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Dissolve coffee granules in boiling water; stir in liqueur. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with coffee mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in flavorings.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 13-cup Bundt pan. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan and let cool 30 minutes on wire rack. Brush with Irish Cream Glaze, and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Let cool completely.

Yield: one 10-inch cake.

Irish Cream Glaze
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur
2/3 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Dissolve coffee granules in water; add liqueur and confectioners' sugar, stirring until blended.

Yield: about 1/2 cup.

NOTE: Glazed cake may be frozen up to one month.