CHERRY FLAVORING FOR SODA RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour 3 (8 inch) round pans
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt for at least 30 seconds
• In another bowl, add the egg whites, cherry juice, milk, vanilla and cherry extract, and vegetable oil. Blend together with a fork
• In the bowl of your mixer add the butter and beat at medium speed to soften. Add the sugar and continue to beat until lightened in color and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes, longer if using a hand mixer.
• Add approximately 1/2 of the flour mixture to the bowl, mixing on low speed until just blended. Add half of the wet ingredients and blend. Continue alternating the dry and wet ingredients (ending with dry) until blended. Do not over beat.
• Reserve approximately 2 Tablespoons chopped cherries. Gently stir the remaining chopped cherries into the batter.
• Once the batter is in the cake pans, sprinkle the reserved cherries over the top of the batter, and using a toothpick push them just slightly below the surface of the cake batter. Even though the flour is supposed to keep the cherries from sinking to the bottom of the pan, I find that most will, so this is my reason for adding a few to the top.
• Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, when the cake springs back to the touch or a toothpick pulls out clean or with only a few crumbs attached, the cake is done.
• Makes 7 1/2 cups cake batter
• Works well for cupcakes
• Will hold up to fondant