Cream Cheese Wreath Cake with Maple Glaze

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or bundt pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese. Add 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and blend well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, and almond extract, and beat well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and blend well.

In a clean bowland with clean beatersbeat egg whites until frothy. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until whites are glossy and stiff. Fold egg whites into the batter.

Pour batter into the pan. Bake about one hour, or until cake tests done.

Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then turn onto a cooling rack.

To make glaze, melt butter, vanilla extract, and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup confectioners sugar.

Drizzle warm glaze over the cooled cake, then sprinkle with raisins or cherries and slivered almonds. Add a decorative bow to the wreath and encircle it with evergreen boughs.