Almond Cake with Cherry Filling

Almond-Cake-with-Cherry-Filling

This scrumptious Almond Cake reflects the colors of the holiday season for an impressive dessert.

Almond Cake with Cherry Filling
Yield: 1 (9-inch) layer cake • Preparation: 10 minutes • Bake: 23 to 26 minutes • Cool: 1 hour • Refrigerate: 30 minutes
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Ingredients
  1. ½ cup butter, softened
  2. 1½ cups sugar
  3. 4 large eggs
  4. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  5. 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
  6. ½ cup ground toasted almonds
  7. 2¼ cups cake flour
  8. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  9. ½ teaspoon salt
  10. 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
  11. 1 recipe Cherry Filling (recipe follows)
  12. 1 recipe Decadent Cream-Cheese Icing (recipe follows)
  13. Garnish: sugared cherries* and sugared mint†
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extracts, beating well. Add almonds, beating well. Set aside.
  4. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until combined. Pour into prepared pans.
  5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 23 to 26 minutes. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
  6. Spread Cherry Filling between layers. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  7. Spread Decadent Cream-Cheese Icing on top and sides of cake.
  8. Garnish with sugared cherries and mint, if desired.
Notes
  1. *To make sugared cherries, drain desired number of maraschino cherries. Place on paper towel, blotting to remove excess liquid. Toss gently with sugar, shaking to remove excess. Use immediately.
  2. †To make sugared mint, wash and dry desired number of mint leaves. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with sugar. Use immediately.
TeaTime Magazine http://teatimemagazine.com/
Cherry Filling
Yield: 2½ cups • Preparation: 5 minutes • Cook: 15 to 20 minutes • Cool: 30 minutes
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Ingredients
  1. 3 cups frozen cherries
  2. ½ cup water
  3. ¼ cup lemon juice
  4. 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
  1. In a large saucepan, combine cherries and water. Cover and cook on medium heat until cherries are heated, 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Remove ¼ cup cooking liquid from cherries, and place in a small bowl. Set aside saucepan with cherries.
  3. Add lemon juice and cornstarch to bowl with reserved cooking liquid, stirring until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to cherries in saucepan, stirring to combine. Cook over medium heat until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Cool for 30 minutes before spreading on cake.
TeaTime Magazine http://teatimemagazine.com/
Decadent Cream Cheese Icing
Yield: 4 cups • Preparation: 10 minutes
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Ingredients
  1. 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  2. ½ cup butter, softened
  3. 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
  4. 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  5. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and butter. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
  2. Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cream and vanilla, beating well to combine.
TeaTime Magazine http://teatimemagazine.com/
From TeaTime November/December 2010

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