CHERRY BIRTHDAY CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Drain and chop cherries, reserving juice; set aside., In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine milk and 1/4 cup reserved cherry juice; add to creamed mixture alternately with flour, beating well after each addition. Fold in 1/2 cup cherries., Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake at 325° for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and enough reserved cherry juice to achieve spreading consistency. Fold in coconut and remaining chopped cherries. Frost cake. Sprinkle with walnuts and additional coconut if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 23cm/9in bundt tin or savarin mould with butter.
• Cut the cherries into quarters. Set aside five of the quartered cherries for the decoration later. Put the rest of the quartered cherries in a sieve and rinse under running water. Drain well then dry thoroughly on kitchen paper and toss in two tablespoons of the flour.
• Measure all the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and beat well for two minutes to mix thoroughly. Lightly fold in the cherries. Turn into the prepared tin.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until well risen, golden-brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out and cool on a wire rack.
• For the icing, mix the icing sugar together with the lemon juice to a thick paste. Drizzle over the cooled cake using the back of a spoon, sprinkle over the toasted almonds and reserved cherries.