Little Cherry Cakes

I am a sucker for cherries! These little cakes are so cute for Valentine's gifts!  I love to make these for my friends and neighbors.  They also make fantastic teachers gifts.

1 (10 oz.) jar maraschino cherries
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract

Drain jar of cherries. Reserve juice. Chop cherries and set aside. Pat dry with a paper towel. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer. gradually add sugar beating 1 minute. Add eggs one at a time beating just until the yellow disappears. Combine flour and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in flavorings and chopped cherries. Spoon batter into 7 greased and floured 5 3/4" x 3"  mini loaf pans. Bake at 300 degrees for 55 minutes until a wooden pick comes clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans to finish cooling.  Spread with Frosting. Decorate as desired.  Makes 7 pound cakes.

Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbs. Whipping Cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Stir whipping cream into the powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time, add vanilla.  Add additional cream until desired thickness is reached. (I like to substitute the reserved cherry juice for part of the whipping cream to make a yummy cherry frosting.)

Cake Recipe from Southern Living