Holiday Gift Cake

By jolofson

This holiday gift cake is a delicious cake for celebrating the holidays with sweet cherries folded in.

Ingredients

• GLAZE:
• 1 (8-ounces) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Step 1

In a bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder; then gradually add 2 cups to batter.

Chop the cherries and add to remaining flour mixture with pecans. Fold into batter. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Or bake in small foil pans (5) that have been greased and floured.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For glaze, combine sugar and milk in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Decorate with additional cherries if desired.