Whoo boy. This cake will make your holiday season merry and bright! And then some.

In case I’ve never made it blatantly clear enough, pound cake is the happiest of all cakes. It’s fluffy, buttery, and makes a perfect canvas for any flavor.

Do you know what happens if you add 7UP® to pound cake? It gets even lighter and fluffier. And when you add Cherry 7UP® and almond extract, your mouth is in for quite the party.

Now that we’ve cleared Thanksgiving, everyone’s got three weeks to get holiday baking in order. In times like these, the temptation to impress relatives and friends might overwhelm the need to just be practical.

Well, guess what? That isn’t a choice you have to make. Just because a dessert isn’t crazy hard to make doesn’t mean that it can’t be impressive and beautiful. Oh, and delicious. So get your holiday baking in order, but don’t try to be a hero!

Whenever I need to prep for a baking marathon, there’s only one place I need, and that’s Target. They have this special section with all the holiday-themed products and candy. I just stand in the middle of the aisle, staring at everything on the shelves while ideas start hurtling at my head. Then I fill up my cart. It’s probably the closest I ever get to catharsis. Plus, I get to buy everything I need for holiday entertaining, from candy (yesssss, please) to drinks, in just one trip.

This time of year, there’s so much we all need to buy. It’s a lot easier to spend that money if there are coupons involved, and that’s where Ibotta comes in. If you’re not familiar, you need to check it out. Right now, they’re running a special deal on soda: Save $.75 when you buy two 2-liter bottles (varieties include: 7UP®, A&W®, Canada Dry® Ginger Ale, RC® Cola, Sundrop®, Sunkist® Orange, Squirt®, Country Time®, Diet Rite®, Vernors®, Cactus Cooler® and Hawaiian Punch®) and Save $2.00 when you buy four 12-pack cans (varieties include: 7UP®, A&W®, Canada Dry® Ginger Ale, RC® Cola, Sundrop®, Sunkist® Orange, Squirt®, Country Time®, Diet Rite®, Vernors®, Cactus Cooler®, Hawaiian Punch® and Tahitian Treat).

Food bloggers will always give different reasons for why we love what we do. Some enjoy taking photos and editing them. Some love writing the posts, while others enjoy the connections they make with readers and fellow bloggers above all. For me, while I dig all those things, I especially appreciate the constant opportunity to create new desserts and push ideas to their limits. That’s what makes each post exciting, and explains how this cake came to be.

If you add soda to cake, it enhances the cake’s texture. Experimenting with flavor is one of my favorite ways to take a more basic idea and make it really stand out. In this case, Cherry 7UP® gets poured into cake batter. See?

And when all the cake batter gets mixed up (don’t forget that almond extract, it’s key), you get a distinctive holiday cake that will wow your guests. It doesn’t hurt to throw a little sprinkle flair on top of that thick glaze, either. Or to have your cake in a wreath-like shape to bring on happy associations and excitement.

This holiday season, make your gatherings a little brighter with a pound cake that’s sure to make some very hungry people come barreling to your house for dessert. Make time to eat cake! And if you’re not feeling creative right now, I’ve got you covered. Want more recipe inspiration with your favorite drinks? Find more ideas from these perfect holiday moments. We could all use a few of those!