Pound Cake With Caramel Icing & Apricot-Ginger Sprinkles

Bake this cake ahead of time. Store at room temperature up to three days or place it in the freezer in a large zip-lock and store up to s month. Let thaw; then top with icing and sprinkles. Southern Living Magazine, 10/2007 edition. Cooling and standing time 2 hr. & 40 min.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• POUND CAKE

• 1 1⁄2 cups butter or 1 1⁄2 cups margarine, softened
• 2 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 6  large eggs
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 8  ounces  container sour cream
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract

• CARAMEL ICING

• 1 1⁄4 cups  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 5  tablespoons heavy cream
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1  dash salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• APRICOT-GINGER SPRINKLES

• 1⁄2 cup salted cashews
• 1⁄3 cup  finely chopped  dried apricot
• 3  tablespoons  minced crystallized ginger

Directions

1. POUND CAKE:.
2. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
3. Gradually add sugars, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition.
5. Stir together flour, salt, and baking soda.
6. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
7. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.
8. Stir in vanilla.
9. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pans.
10. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
11. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes.
12. Remove cakes from pans, and let cool 2 hours or until completely cool.
13. PREPARE CARAMEL ICING:.
14. Bring first 4 ingredients to a full rolling boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often.
15. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
16. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
17. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 to 4 minutes or until thickened.
18. Use immediately.
19. Pour over cake, allowing it to drip down sides of cake.
20. APRICOT-GINGER SPRINKLES:.
21. Toss all ingredients together, and top pound cake no more than one hour before serving.
22. Let stand 30 minutes or until icing is firm.
23. Enjoy!