Maraschino Cherry Cake

Photo: flickr user veeliam

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Sifted flour

1 1/2 cups Sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons Baking powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Solid shortening

3/4 cup Milk

2 teaspoons Almond extract

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1/4 cup Maraschino cherry juice

4 Unbeaten egg whites

18 Maraschino cherries, drained & coarsely chopped

1/2 cup Walnuts, finely chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round layer pans. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Blend in shortening. Combine milk, extracts & cherry juice in separate bowl. Add about 3/4 of liquid to dry ingredients. Beat 200 strokes or about 2 minutes. Add remaining liquid and unbeaten egg whites and beat another 2 minutes. Stir in cherries and walnuts. Pour batter in prepared cake pans and bake 20-25 mins. Cool, remove from pans. Frost with Maraschino Cherry Cake

ICING:Blend together 2 Tbs. solid shortening, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. almond extract and 1/2 tsp. salt. Beat in 1/2 c. powdered sugar. then add another 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar alternately with up to 9 Tbs. scalded cream (cream heated to just below boiling point); use just enough cream so icing will spread nicely. Mix in a few drops of red food coloring.