Sprinkle chopped almonds into a well-greased 10-inch Bundt pan; set aside. Cream butter and shortening; gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add egg yolks, and beat well. Add lemon rind, juice, and flavorings; beat well. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix after each addition; set batter aside. Beat egg whites (at room temperature) and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form; fold egg white mixture into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan. Press whole almond just below surface of batter. Bake at 350ºF. for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Drizzle Apricot Glaze over cake. Yield: one l0-inch cake. Note: Cake texture and taste is very similar to a batter bread. Busted by Gail Shermeyer <4paws@netrax.net>

Notes: Make Almond Legend Cake every New Years Eve for a fun tradition at your house. Somewhere hidden in the baked cake will be a single whole almond. Whoever gets the almond in their slice of cake, according to legend, will enjoy good fortune during the year. Recipe by: The Southern Living Cookbook, 1987, 8487-0709-5 Posted to Bakery-Shoppe Digest by Gail Shermeyer <4paws@netrax.net> on Apr 13, 1998