Pink Easter Cake

Photo by Rochelle Hartman

Maraschino cherries give this Pink Easter Cake its festive color. Great for the holiday or even a little girls’ tea party.

Ingredients
2 cup of water, divided
1 cup Maraschino cherry juice
2/3 cup canola oil
9 egg whites, divided
2 (18.25 oz.) boxes French vanilla cake mix
3/4 cup Maraschino cherries, cut into eighths
1 1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp almond extract
15 whole Maraschino cherries
2 oz. almond slivers
1 tube of green decorator gel

Instructions

Cake instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

Coat an 11×17 cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine 1 2/3 cups of water, cherry juice and oil into a large mixing bowl.

Stir in 6 egg whites.

Add both boxes of cake mix.

Beat on low-speed with an electric mixer until batter is smooth.

Fold in the Maraschino cherry pieces and mix well.

Transfer the batter mixture into the prepared cake pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Set the cake aside to cool completely.

Frosting instructions

Add about 2 inches of water to a skillet and bring to a boil over medium heat.

In a heat-safe bowl, combine the remaining 1/3C water, 3 egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar.

Set the bowl into the boiling water.

Whisk the mixture until the egg whites are frothy and heated completely (approximately 2 minutes).

Remove the bowl from the boiling water.

Beat the mixture on high until stiff peaks form (approximately 5 minutes).

Blend in the almond extract.

Allow to cool completely.

Decorating the cake:

Frost the cake once it and the frosting are both cool.

Place the whole cherries in a 3×5 grid on the top.

Arrange the almond slivers around each cherry to resemble flower petals.

Use the green decorator gel to make stems and leaves.
Serves 15.