Grandma's Maraschino Cherry Cake and Seven-Minute Icing

When my grandmother was moved into an assisted living home, it was my job to sift through her worldly possessions. During this process, I found something so amazing that I knew I had to bring it home with me. I found my grandma's recipe collection. I am always reminded of baking in the kitchen with her and this collection of books and hand written recipe cards brought on a lot of nostalgia. This recipe for maraschino cherry cake is one of the recipes I had almost forgotten about until stumbling upon it. It is delicious and moist and reminds me of grandma's kitchen.

Ingredients 

4 1/2 cups cake flour 

4 1/2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp salt 

3/4 cup shortening 

2 1/4 cups sugar 

1 3/4 cups milk 

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp almond extract 

2 egg yolks 

5 egg whites 

1/4 cup maraschino cherries

Directions:

After sifting flour, sift together with salt and baking powder. Cream the shortening and gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar and 3 tablespoons milk. Add egg yolks and extracts to milk. Gradually add dry ingredients and cream mixture alternately to the shortening mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Add in remaining sugar and beat until dissolved. Fold into cake mixture.

Pour batter into three greased 9-inch layer pans. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of finely chopped maraschino cherries over the batter. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Let cook and frost with Seven Minute Icing.

Seven-Minute Frosting

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups sugar 

1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup 

7 1/2 tablespoons water 

3 egg whites 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

Combine all ingredients except the vanilla in top of a double boiler and mix well. Cook over boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove from heat but leave over hot water and beat for 7 minutes. (A hand held electric mixer on low works well for this) Add vanilla and blend well.