Ingredients
For the cake:
1-1/2 cups Crisco
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3-3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups milk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1-1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
1/2 of a 10-oz. jar of maraschino cherries, drained and chopped coarsely. Reserve juice and the rest of the cherries for the icing.
For the icing
3 oz. cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds, but only because I was out of pecans)
Remaining 1/2 cup cherries, chopped coarsely
1 tsp. almond flavoring
Preparation
For the cake: Cream Crisco and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add flour to creamed mixture alternately with milk and flavorings. Stir in cherries. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Start in cold oven; bake at 275 for 2-1/2 hours. (I did NOT follow this part of the directions, but instead baked it for about an hour in a preheated 350-degree oven.)
For the icing: Mix together and spread on hot cake. (I added about a tablespoon of the reserved cherry juice to get the texture I wanted – also, pink icing! You won’t need all of it.)
