Cream Cheese Poundcake

3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
8 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or lemon extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325º. Arrange one rack on the bottom of the oven and another in the middle of the oven. Place a shallow pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven. The water will warm as the oven preheats. The warm water will help keep the cake moist as it bakes.
2. Thoroughly grease and flour the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan or tube pan and set it aside. Another option is to coat the pan with Baker's Joy nonstick spray.
3. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and set aside.
4. Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer set to medium speed until the mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing only until the yellow disappears.
7. Add one-third of the flour to the creamed mixture, mixing at low speed just until the flour is blended.
8. Add another third of the flour, again mixing only until the flour is blended.
9. Add the remaining flour mixture, again mixing only until the flour is blended.
10. Add the vanilla or lemon extract and mix to combine.
11. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan.
12. Place the cake pan on the middle rack of the oven. Bake the cake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 80 to 90 minutes.
13. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes.
14. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on the wire cooling rack.

Makes one 10-inch cake, or 12 to 16 servings.

Quick Cherry Compote

1 (8-ounce) jar currant jelly
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
3 cups fresh cherries, pitted

1. Place the jelly in a saucepan and gently melt it over medium heat.
2. Remove it from the heat and add the lemon juice and cherries, stirring to coat the berries with the sauce.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.