Ingredients

Cake

• White Cake Recipe or Mix
• 2/3 c finely chopped maraschino cherries
• ½ c of the syrup from the maraschino cherries
• 24 whole maraschino cherries with stems intact

Buttercream frosting

• 1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 c non-hydrogenated shortening
• 7 c of confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• Pink food color powder

Cake Directions

1. Preheat oven (most likely to 350°).

2. Make the cake according to your recipe or mix instructions but replace ½ c of the milk or water that is required with ½ c of the cherry syrup.

3. When batter is done, gently fold in the chopped cherries.

4. Pour into ccake papers and bake until lightly browned on top. They should pass the clean toothpick test (probably 20-25 minutes).

5. Allow cakes to cool on a wire rack while you prepare the icing.

Butter Cream Directions

1. Mix shortening and butter on medium-high until well mixed, light, and fluffy.

2. Add sugar 1 c at a time, mixing slowly to start and then on medium to fully incorporate.

3. Add almond extract. Mix on low to combine.

4. Turn mixer to medium-high and mix for 3 minutes.

5. Place half of the butter cream in a separate bowl and add food color to the remainder still in the mixer.

6. Mix on low to combine and then turn to medium high for another 30 seconds to 1 minute to ensure even distribution.

7. Place each of the butter creams in separate plastic bags (tip: reinforce seams with duct tape if you are concerned about a blowout).

8. Fit a pastry bag with a wide star tip. Snip the tips (about ½ inch wide) off of the butter cream bags and insert them both into the pastry bag evenly.