Sugar and almond crusted poppyseed pound cake!

Okay so I have this completely weird obsessions with almond extract! Don't ask me why but I love it! Ever since I was a kid I loved anything flavored with it. So naturally I <3 almond cookies, almond poppyseed muffins and breads really just about whatever you can come up with to add it to.
Now in addition to that admission my ex mother in law used to make this killer rum poppyseed cake with a sugar crust. This thing was so good. Even my ex husband who doesn't like sweets totally loved it! I decided to combined these favorite things of mine and as a result we have...dun dun dun Sugar and almond crusted poppyseed pound cake!

The reason for the 3 whole eggs and 4 yolks was I found it added an extra rich creamy texture to the cake.

So here is the recipe I used
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Grease bundt pan with butter then sugar the inside dump out excess sugar. Take almond slivers and put them in the bottom of pan.

Okay now w are going to start the cake batter first mix together sugar, butter, almond extract, and all eggs and yolks. I don't have a mixer so I just mixed together by hand for a few minutes until nice and smooth.

Next in separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. I alternated mixing dry mix and milk until everything is combined and smooth. Mix in poppy seeds until they are well mixed into batter. Pour into buttered and sugared bundt pan. Cook 1 hour and 15 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool 10 minutes and then flip on to plate you plan to use. At this time you can drizzle glaze onto cake if you desire.

Ingredients
Cake
I small package of almond slivers
2 3/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c softened butter
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 large eggs
4 egg yolks
3 c flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Optional glaze recipe I found on sassyfamily8.blogspot.com/2012/04/almond-poppyseed-pound-cake.html

Almond glaze
4 tablespoons butter softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 c powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons cream or sugar

Combined all glaze ingredients until smooth and drippy.

Pretzel turtles!

Sweet salty and simply delicious 

Okay so I know these are super easy but I love them and happened to be craving them today so I figured why not go ahead and blog it. Simple pretzel pieces I used the little square ones, a package of Rolo's and pecan halves.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

So I placed the pretzel pieces on a nonstick cookie sheet I have heard you should line it with parchment paper but I didn't have any so I just cowboyed it and placed them right on the cookie sheet. After that I unwrapped a bunch of rolo pieces centering them on the pretzel pieces.

I placed them in the oven for 3 min. The Rolo's get all shiny but hold there shape. You don't want to leave them in to long because they will make a melty mess. I know because it happened to me the first time I made them.

Remove from oven and quickly but gently sit the pecan halves and the rolo. I don't push them down until I have the pecans on the entire batch which helps with them not oozing all over the place. Then I very gentle lightly push down. Some may already have settled down from the weight of the pecan.

Then just let them cool. I have been sticking the cookie sheet right into the freezer. It only takes a few minutes about 10-15 and they are all ready to eat!

Pretzel pieces, pecan halves, and Rolo's!

Pretzel pieces on non-stick cookie sheet Rolo's centered on top

Cook at 350 about 3 min they get all shiny but hold shape.  Please ignore my dirty oven.

Gently place pecan on Rolo it should settle down from the weight of the pecan.

Finished product! Yummy