IRISH COFFEE CAKE

Serves 8

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or coffee granules
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
COFFEE SYRUP:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup strong black coffee
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
TOPPING:
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons Irish whiskey
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Dissolve espresso powder in vanilla; beat into butter mixture.
Mix flour, almonds, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture. Spread in greased 8-inch round cake pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Let cool on rack for 5 minutes.
Run knife around edge; turn out onto rack. Let cool completely. Return cake to pan; using toothpick, poke holes all over top.
COFFEE SYRUP:
Bring sugar and coffee to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar; boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in whiskey. Pour over cake. Let cool for 1 hour or until syrup is absorbed. Remove from pan; place on flat serving plate.
TOPPING:
Whip cream with whiskey and sugar; pipe along top edge of cake.
This recipe is from Canadian Living Test Kitchens.