Blue Ribbon Butter Cake

This came from an email I got from Taste of Home Magazine.  I get almost as many recipe emails as I get shopping emails.  I am not exactly sure if that is something I should be proud of or not.  At any rate, I plan to make this for a party later this week.  With any luck I will remember to snap some photos of my handiwork.  I am pretty sure that this recipe doesn't have any calories and you can be completely sure I am not telling the truth!

1 C. butter, softened
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. buttermilk

Butter Sauce:
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. butter, cubed
1/4 C water
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges and center tube of pan.  Invert cake on a wire rack over waxed paper.

For sauce, combine the sugar, butter and water in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat just until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat, stir in extracts.

Poke holes in the top of the warm cake; spoon 1/4 C. sauce over cake.  Let stand until sauce is absorbed.  Repeat twice.  Poke holes in the sides of the cake and brush remaining sauce over the sides.  Cool completely.  Yields 12-16 servings.

1 serving (1 slice)= 410 calories, 19g. fat, 100mg. cholesterol, 344mg. sodium, 56g. carbohydrates, 1g. fiber,  5g. protein