Apple Cider Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
1 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream butter and shortening; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Combine next 4 ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with apple cider, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on a rack.

Apple Cider Pound Cake

This is a large cake which can be divided into 3 loaf pans for gift giving.

3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup apple cider

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and spices; set aside. Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients alternately with cider to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Pour batter into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours. Cool 15 minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.

Caramel Glaze
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring ingredients to rolling boil. Boil 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over slightly warm cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides of cake.