Chocolate Cherry Cake

Hubby is a champ - this is the cake I asked him to make for my birthday.  It was WONDERFUL - and not too sweet.  However, make sure you have room to store any leftovers in your refrigerator.  If you will not have room - layer the cake and cherries only.  Put whipped cream on each individual piece as cut.

1 Cup Whole Milk

3 Large Room Temperature Eggs

1/2 Cup Canola Oil

3 Tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Cake Flour

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Dutch Cocoa

1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

3/4 Tsp Baking Soda

3/4 Tsp Salt

29 Ounces Pitted Tart Cherries

1 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Cornstarch

3 Tbl Grenadine

3 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1/3 Cup Confectioner's Sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 9 x 3 cake pans, set aside.

In a large bowl, beat milk, eggs, oil and vanilla until well blended.  Blend in sugar.  In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder baking soda and salt.  Gradually beat into milk mixture.

Transfer to prepared pans.  Bake about 35 minutes - a toothpick inserted in center should come out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove to a rack.  Cool Completely.

Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice.  In a small saucepan, whisk sugar, son starch and reserved juice.  Add cherries.  Cook and stir until thick and bubbly (about 15 minutes).  Cool Completely.

In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken.  Add confectioner's sugar;  beat until stiff peaks form.

Use a long serrated knife to cut both cakes in half.  Place one cake layer on a serving plate.  Top with 1 1/2 cups whipped cream and 1/3 cherries - stop within 1 inch of edge.  Repeat twice.  Top with remaining cake layer.  Frost sides and top of cake with remaining whipped cream.  

Cherry Spice Cake

Spicy Cake, Sour Cherries - all topped with Cream Cheese Frosting.  Yummy.  If you don't have buttermilk, get buttermilk powder.  If you use buttermilk powder, put it in with the dry ingredient mixture and use the water you would mix it in as the alternate when combining with the creamed sugar.

1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Cake Flour
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk
14.5 Ounces Pitted Tart Cherries, drained and lightly chopped
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans

Frosting:
8 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened
3 1/2 Cups Confectioners Sugar
2 Tsp Half and Half
1 Tsp Vanilla
Diced Walnuts

Grease and flour two 9 x 3 inch cake pans, set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.  Fold in cherries and walnuts.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove to a rack and cool completely.

For frosting, put cream cheese in a large bowl and whip.  Add sugar and combine thoroughly.  Add vanilla and half and half.  Spread between lawyers and over cake.  Top with additional walnuts.