Old Fashioned Pound Cake & Raspberry Trifle

Ingredients

Pound Cake

• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups butter
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla (or brandy extract)
• 9 eggs, slightly beaten

Whipped Cream Layer

• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar

Cream Cheese Layer

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zest of, chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or lemon)

Berry Layer

• 4-8 cups fresh raspberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup water (optional)

Sprinkle

• 4 teaspoons baking cocoa
• fresh berries

Directions

1. 1

   Line bottoms & sides of three 8x4 loaf pans with parchment paper--do NOT grease; preheat oven to 325; place oven rack in lower position.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, mix pound cake dry ingredients; set aside.

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy & fluffy, scraping bowl several times; add flavorings, then eggs three at a time--continue beating (a curdled appearance will be "beaten" out with thorough mixing).

4. 4

   Now begin adding the flour in about half-cup portions, mixing well after each.

5. 5

   Turn batter into prepped pans, quickly pushing it higher around edges than in center (this will keep the top level).

6. 6

   Bake for 20 minutes, then increase oven temp to 350, bake 40 minutes longer (crack on top will be slightly browned--showing no moistness).

7. 7

   Cool for 5 minutes on cooling rack, then remove from pans to finish cooling--DO NOT REMOVE PAPER!

8. 8

   When cooled, wrap waxed paper around two of the loaves, and then plastic wrap & freeze. Slice the remaining loaf into 12-15 slices, then cubes; set aside.

9. 9

   WHIPPED CREAM LAYER: In a mixing bowl, beat cream with sugar until stiff peaks form; set aside.

10. 10

    CREAM CHEESE LAYER: In another bowl, beat cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla and sugar. Add about 2 cups of the whipped cream and the lemon zest--fold in; set aside.

11. 11

    BERRY LAYER: Set aside one cup of berries for garnish. Sprinkle remaining berries with sugar, then lightly mash/crush them. Let them sit for about 30 minutes to get juicy---if you're short of time, add the water and this makes a nice juice too.

12. 12

    JUST IN CASE: Check berries for bugs and inch-worms! They will float to the top of the juices. (Sorry to gross you out! But so much better you pick them out ahead than have them "appear" in the dessert!).

13. 13

    ASSEMBLE THE TRIFLE: Sprinkle a layer of pound cake cubes in the bottom of a 3-quart glass serving bowl.

14. 14

    Drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of berry juice over the cubes.

15. 15

    Spread one fourth of cream cheese mixture over the cake cubes.

16. 16

    Sprinkle one teaspoon of cocoa over this, then some crushed berries.

17. 17

    REPEAT this twice. Add about half of the reserved berries to the last layer.

18. 18

    Top with remaining cream cheese, whipped cream and sifted cocoa; remaining berries added as a garnish before serving.

19. 19

    Cover & refrigerate for about 3 hours, altho' this is ready-to-eat now (taste really does improve!).