I love sparkling cider.  Not only has it successfully carried me through two holiday seasons pregnant, but the very look and smell of it reminds me of fall, my favorite season.

When I saw this great idea for Sparkling Cider Pound Cake on Chef in Training, I couldn’t wait to try it out.

The sparkling cider gives it a really unique, apple-y flavor, and it is an incredibly moist cake- it sort of falls apart in on your fork.  Delicious.

I used Martinelli’s brand cider, it is far and wide the best.  I added a chopped gala apple to the recipe, a little more baking powder, and a touch of cinnamon to the glaze, and it turned out really, really lovely. Highly recommend!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter softened
1/4 cup shortening I use Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening and it has 0g Trans Fat per serving
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider
1 Gala apple, chopped (any sweet apple will do)
GLAZE
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Cream butter, shortening and sugar together in a large bowl.

Beat in eggs one at a time.

In a small bowl, combine salt, baking powder, and flour and stir to evenly combine. Add alternately with 1/2 cup sparkling cider to the wet ingredients and beat until well incorporated.  Add the chopped apple and mix until just combined.

Pour into a greased and floured 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan. (I used a greased and floured angel food cake pan)

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40-50 (30ish in an angel food cake pan) minutes or until the top is golden brown and until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

In a medium bowl, whisk sparkling cider, cinnamon, and powdered sugar until smooth consistency is reached. Poor over cooled pound cake.