CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY MOLDS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
• Grease and flour three 8 x 2 inch pans.
• *For this recipe, we recommend adding a circle of wax paper or parchment paper to the bottom of the cake pans to prevent sticking
• Remove 22 maraschino cherries from the jar and chop them finely. We will use these as the last step. Lightly blot with a paper towel. Save the additional cherries as well as the cherry juice (for brushing onto cake layers). We will also use additional slices in the filling.
• Heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove top, do not let it boil. Add the white chocolate that has been cut into very small pieces. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to soften, then stir until melted and smooth. Let this cool down before using.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, whisk for 30 seconds to blend and set aside.
• In the bowl of your mixer, mix the butter until smooth. Slowly add the sugar and mix on medium speed 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow is blended in.
• Add the vanilla.
• Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk/chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with the flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk mixture).
• Mix until just combined, do not over mix and do not mix above medium speed.
• Gently fold in the 22 finely chopped cherries.
• Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 325 degrees F for 22-25 minutes. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, it is done. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans and turn out.
• Makes 6 cups of batter. Works well for cupcakes.
• Cut/chop the white chocolate into very small pieces, put into a microwave safe bowl and add 4 Tablespoons milk or cream.
• Microwave for 15 seconds let sit for a minute or two, stir and microwave again 15 seconds letting it sit a minute to soften further, stir. Be careful not to over heat the chocolate. The chocolate will continue to melt as it is stirred. Let the chocolate cool down before using.
• Beat the butter until softened and smooth, add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Add the white chocolate and milk mixture. Add vanilla. Add another Tablespoon milk if needed. Beat on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes and it will become smooth and creamy.
• Makes 5 cups frosting. Makes enough to frost a 2 or 3 layer eight inch cake. If you will be doing a lot of decorative piping, you will need additional frosting.
• Place the first white chocolate cherry cake layer on cake base or pedestal. Apply a layer of cherry juice using a pastry brush, then follow with a layer of white chocolate buttercream. Top with additional sliced cherries (to your liking).
• Add the second cake layer, brush with cherry juice, a layer of frosting, top with sliced cherries, and add the third layer. Brush with cherry juice, frost the cake as usual.
• I like to crumb coat (thin coat) my cakes and chill in the freezer for about 15 minutes before applying the final layer of frosting. I combed the frosting around the sides of the cake with a cake comb. I topped with chocolate curls that were created by running a vegetable peeler down the edge of the white chocolate bar. I chilled my curls in the freezer for five minutes before handing. I applied mine with a toothpick

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