Maraschino Cherry Cake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 Tablespoons flour for sprinkling over diced cherries
• 10 oz. bottle of maraschino cherries, cut in eighths
• 4 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of three 6 inch cake pans (or two 8 inch) with parchment paper. Grease the sides.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. In another bowl, combine the milk, cherry juice and almond extract. Alternate adding the dry and wet mixtures to the butter and sugar. Batter will be thick.
3. In a small bowl, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of flour over the diced cherries and stir until the flour has been completely absorbed. Stir cherries into the batter.
4. Fold stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter.  Pour into prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.   Remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Almond Buttercream

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 t. almond extract
• 1/2 c. milk (may use less)

Mix butter, sugar and almond extract on low speed in large mixing bowl. Gradually add milk until you reach the desired consistency. Keep covered.
I decorated the top of the cake with a petal tip (Wilton #81 ). I also used Americolor gel paste in “Red Red” and ” Deep Pink” to color the buttercream.