CHERRY CAKE

When Hillcrest Thrift Shop had their annual end of the summer picnic in mid September, I offered to bring a dessert. With my reputation, what else could I do. The recipe came from Lia Wilson's Quick Fixes with Mixes cookbook. I revised the frosting because I didn't like the consistency of it.  I thought it was really, really sweet, but everyone else thought it was really good.

CHERRY CAKE

1           white cake mix
1-1/3    cups milk
2          tablespoons canola oil
3          egg whites
3/4      cup white chocolate chips, melted
1           jar maraschino cherries, well drained, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour 12 - cup tube pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, milk, oil, egg whites, and white chocolate.  Beat on low speed to blend, then beat on medium for 3 minutes.

Gently stir in 3/4 cups chopped cherries.

Pour batter into prepared tube pan.

Bake til done, about 38 minutes.  Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake.

Cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Remove by inverting onto cake platter.

CHERRY FROSTING

(revised)*

3          tablespoons margarine, softened

4          cups powdered sugar

2          tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

6          maraschino cherries, cut in half

milk as needed for desired consistency

In a mixing bowl, combine the margarine,1 cup of powdered sugar, and cherry juice.  Gradually add the rest of the powdered sugar. Add milk if necessary for desired consistency a spoonful at a time.

Frost the cake and place the 12 cherry halves on the top of the cake with cut side down.

This is what my finished cake looked like.  The frosting was too thin (with her 1/3 cup of milk) and even using 5 cups of powdered sugar.  I didn't like the looks of the chopped cherries mixed in with the icing either. I admit that is why I have waited so long to finish this post.  The cake was too good not to share it with you though.