Cherry Pound Cake

Recipe courtesy of the National Cherry Growers.

Recipe Ingredients:

3 (10-ounce) jars maraschino cherries without stems
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk*
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Cooking Directions:

1. Drain maraschino cherries and cut into quarters. Set aside.
2. Combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on low speed, and then beat on high speed 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with sweetened condensed milk (use only 1/2 cups of sweetened condensed milk if making the Bundt® cake) to butter mixture, mixing lightly after each addition.
4. Fold in maraschino cherries. Pour batter into 6 mini loaf pans, or into a Bundt® pan.
5. Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
6. Let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Makes 6 mini loaves or 1 Bundt cake.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of the National Cherry Growers.