Grilled Pound Cake with Strawberry Compote

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a mixing bowl using a a mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening together. Add the sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time making sure that each is incorporated thoroughly in the batter before adding the next.

Combine the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder) in a small bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture and the milk into the creamed mixture, adding a little of each at a time. The batter should be thick and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract if desired.

Spray a bundt cake pan with baking spray and pour in the cake batter. Place in the oven and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Then remove cake from the oven, invert cake onto a cooling rack and allow to cool before grilling.

For the glaze:

In a bowl combine the powdered sugar, almond extract, salt, and milk and whisk together. When the cake cools, pour the glaze over the cake and allow to set.

For the compots:

While the cake is baking, in a medium sized saucepan on medium heat, add water, sugar, lemon juice, and strawberries. Allow to come to a slight simmer and continue to stir for 5 minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken as the strawberries release excess water. Add the dash of cinnamon and allow to simmer for 10 minutes more and remove from heat.

Grilling the pound cake:

Cut a slice of the pound cake and brush both sides with a little of the melted butter. With a grill pan on low to medium heat, place the pound cake on the pan for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove cake from the pan and place on a serving plate. Top with the strawberry compote and a whipped topping (if desired). You can also grill on a BBQ grill by placing a piece of aluminum foil on top of the grill and following the same steps.

Pound cake recipe adapted from Paula Deen.