Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Cherry Almond Valentine Cake

There was a time when I hated Valentine's Day.
Back when I was young, single and had a Jennifer Aniston hairdo.


I was living 2000 miles away from home.
I hadn't had a date for a long time and was feeling lonely.
The holiday all about celebrating love just made me depressed.
So, I told my parents that I was going to wear a black armband and boycott on February 14.

When the dreaded holiday arrived, I received a bouquet of roses.
The card said they were from a secret admirer!
But I immediately knew they were from my Dad.
He tried to deny it at first, but finally admitted he had sent them.
He wanted to make me feel loved.
And he did!

I no longer think that Valentine's Day is just for romance.
It is a day to celebrate all the different kinds of love that make life wonderful!
Love for children, parents, siblings and friends...

Here is a Cherry Almond Valentine cake to make for someone you love.


This yummy maraschino cherry cake is topped with almond buttercream.
The cherry and almond flavors go perfectly together!
There are cherry chunks in the cake to make it extra special.

Maraschino Cherry Cake
adapted from Sprinkle Bakes
  • 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.
  

Enjoy!

 I share my recipes & tutorials at these fun link parties.

This post was featured!
The 36th AvenueTidyMom
My Decoupaged Life
I Heart Nap Time
Thirty Hand Made DaysDays of Chalk and Chocolate
michellepaige.blogspot.com

52 comments:

  1. It's so pretty! It's almost too pretty to eat, but I think I could handle it. :)

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  2. What a gorgeous cake! I wish I could buttercream like you! I also appreciate your thoughts about Valentine's Day. As someone who hardly dated at all until my later college years, I can identify. Thank goodness for sweet friends and family.

    I'll be featuring this on my blog tomorrow for Feature Friday. I hope you'll stop by and check it out!

    Valerie- www.occasionallycrafty.blogspot.com

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  3. That is stunning!! You must have the most steady hand ever! Great story! I'm hosting my 1st ever link party and would love it if you linked this up! http://www.aturtleslifeforme.com/2012/01/share-wow-wednesday-first-ever-link.html

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  4. Dad's are the best! Beautiful cake. Happy to be your newest follower and see what other cakes you come up with in 2012. I love cake too - oh - and everything else sweet!

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  5. This is SO pretty. I'm impressed, I wish I could decorate a cake like this.

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  6. What a BEAUTIFUL cake! Thanks for sharing your sweet story about your dad; it actually choked me up a bit:)

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  7. ohhh this looks to die for!! I'd love for you to link on my party blog- I think my followers will love it! : http://www.atozebracelebrations.blogspot.com/2012/01/totally-cute-crafts-tuesday.html

    First time visiting your blog :)

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  8. How pretty! This cake sounds delish! I hated Valentines Day too back in my single days..

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  9. i ALMOST wouldn't want to eat it it's so beautiful but almond & cherry? doesn't get any better! so glad I found ya! :)

    http://northerncottage.blogspot.com/2012/01/northern-cottage-party-time-tuesday2.html

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  10. SO pretty and combines my two favoritest things- cherry & almond!! Thank you for linking this up Robin. I pinned and tweeted it. Will feature this next week too! xo

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  11. Such a gorgeous cake! You did an amazing job with the icing!

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  12. love that look! need to try that tip, thanks for sharing!!

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  13. Wow- this is super impressive!! I love the look of this cake!! I'd love for you to link to Things I've Done Thursday- it's up until noon Saturday EST. http://www.bearrabbitbear.com/2012/01/things-ive-done-thursday-19-progresso.html

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  14. This cake is gorgeous! You did such a great job on the decorating. You're really amazing!! I pinned this because I love cherries and almonds together and I would like to make this cake! Would you link up to my party if you get a chance too?

    http://daysofchalkandchocolate.blogspot.com/2012/01/latest-and-greatest-friday-14.html

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  15. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    would love it if you could share this on my link party
    http://serenityyou.blogspot.com/search/label/Serenity%20Saturday

    Natasha

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  16. Stunning looking cake!
    I have no doubt it's delicious

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  17. Oh. How. Impossibly. Gorgeous! I think this will be on our valentines day menu! I'd be thrilled if you'd stop by and share this at the Head to Head Showdown, going on right now at www.icantstopcrafting.blogspot.com ~Jen

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  18. Visiting from tt&j. wow!! love this!! I wish I could make something half as gorgeous :)

    I would love for you to share this at my Friday link party if you get a chance :)

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  19. Beautiful! Inspiring! Thanks for sharing!

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  20. Wow, that is gorgeous!! The flavor combination sound perfect too!

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  21. I LOVE it!!
    Thanks for linking up! I featured you post in my wrap up http://tidymom.net/2012/valentines-day-idea/

    Have a great weekend!

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  22. gorgeous! I think i'm going to give this one a shot

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  23. Wow this looks absolutely delicious! It helps that it's gorgeous as well! I featured you in my Saturday Show Off!
    http://www.mydecoupagedlife.com/2012/01/show-off-saturday-valentines-projects.html

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  24. Just featured you on my Sunday Spotlight post! http://www.aturtleslifeforme.com/2012/01/sunday-spotlights.html

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  25. This looks delicious!! Thanks for linking up to my party. I can't wait to see what you have next week!

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  26. This is so incredibly gorgeous! Wow! It looks delicious too! Would you be willing to link this up to my Valentine Link Party going on now? I'd love to have you! http://michellepaige.blogspot.com/2012/01/rockin-valentine-valentine-link-party.html
    P.S.- Your dad sounds amazing!

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  27. Oh, thank you! Thanks for linking up to my Valentine Link Party! Your cake is so beautiful!

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  28. Looks so delicious - my kiddos eyes would pop if I pulled this out! Thanks!

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  29. This is AMAZING!! I featured you on my FB page and would for you to link to my Thrifty Thursday this week! :)

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  30. you creations are FABULOUS!!!! i just saw you on the 36th avenue and i am now your newest follower! looking forward to seeing more and more and i will certainly be featuring you in my week in review!!!! hugs...

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  31. Besides my weekly fri-monday linky, I am hosting a Valentine linky contest, and your pretty cake here could win you some prizes! Stop by to link up won't you please.
    http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/

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  32. what a good dad! And the cake sounds yummy and looks amazing!

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  33. That looks incredible!!! My party just started and I'd LOVE to have you stop by and share this ~ it would TOTALLY impress!!!
    Overflowing with Creativity
    XO, Aimee

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  34. I featured your gorgeous cake this week!

    http://daysofchalkandchocolate.blogspot.com/2012/01/features-from-latest-and-greatest-14.html

    Stop by for a button and I hope to see you again this week! : )

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  35. This cake is amazing! I am going to feature it tomorrow on Blissful and Domestic:>

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  36. This cake is beautiful! WOW! Thank you so much for linking up to "Strut Your Stuff Saturday." We hope you'll be back to share more ideas with us next Saturday. -The Sisters

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  37. How cuteeeeeeee..I love it...
    visiting form I heart naptime. you are chosen among top 20

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  38. Yum this cake looks so beautiful, the sliced cake is awesome.

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  39. This is so pretty! Love if you would stop by and share it at Mrs Foxs Sweet Party :)

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  40. This is beautiful!! I love cherry and almond together. I can't wait to give this a try! I found you on Cast Party Wednesday and I'm glad I did!

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  41. Yummy I would LOVE for you to stop over and link up in HAPPY FRIDAY- the theme is Valentine. Everyone who links up today will get a Pin from me on Pinterest! Hope you join in the tasty fun!

    Susie- http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-friday-valentine-link-up.html

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  42. So yummy! I am featuring this tomorrow and hoping to make it next week!!

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  43. this cake is beautiful and i love the story behind vday. thank you for linking up with us.

    -new follower

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  44. oh this is amazing!!You have done a perfect job!!& interesting post too....yes Valentine's day is for everybody to share love & peace...

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  45. can we use fresh cherries for this recipe?

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  46. I feel really nice reading these articles I mean there are writers that can write good material.
    valentine hearts

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  47. This is so pretty. It looks amazing. I have a link party called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop and would love to have you share this and any other posts with everyone. It runs from Wednesday through midnight Sunday. Here is the link to the party.
    http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2013/01/week-in-review-and-wednesdays-adorned.html
    Debi @ Adorned From Above

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  48. This looks delicious and so beautiful!! Awesome work!

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  49. It's a very pretty cake. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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