Maraschino Cherry Icing Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans or one 9x13-inch cake pan.
• Reserve 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice. Coarsely chop the cherries to make 1/2 cup. Set aside.
• Sift cake flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and set aside.
• Beat shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 1/3 cups white sugar and beat until well combined. Add the egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Combine 2/3 cup milk and reserved 1/4 cup cherry juice. Add the flour and milk mixture alternately to the shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. Stir in the chopped cherries and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• In preheated oven until cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger or a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes for round cakes (or 30 to 35 minutes for a 9x13 inch pan). Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
• To make frosting: beat 3/4 cups butter in a large bowl till fluffy. Gradually add 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar; beat well. Slowly beat in 1/3 cup milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gradually beat in the remaining 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar. Beat in additional milk (1 to 2 tablespoons) if needed, to make frosting of spreading consistency. If desired, tint the frosting pink by adding 6 drops of red food coloring.
• Once cake is completely cool, frost with butter frosting and decorate with maraschino cherries with stems.

Steps:

• Combine cherry juice and water together.
• Using a Kitchen Aid-type mixer with a paddle, dump powdered sugar, Crisco, vanilla,and butter flavoring into mixing bowl.
• Mix together at a medium speed.
• Slowly add 1/4 cup of juice mixture.
• While continuing to mix at a medium speed, add an additional 1/4 cup of juice mixture until desired consistency reached. (You may not need all of the juice mixture to reach a spreadable consistency).
• Remove bowl from mixer and scrape paddle.
• Gently fold in the well drained cherries.
• Gently fold in the Cool Whip.
• Place in a glass container with a tight fitting lid.
• Refrigerate. Will keep approximately 1 week.
• *Be sure to drain the cherries well after they are chopped or you may notice the cherries "seep" a little juice into the icing.
• I do not add all of the juice mixture when I make this icing.
• I have used this icing to generously ice a 2 layer 9-inch cake. It makes a nice batch of icing. The servings are approximate and can change depending what you are icing.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Place the butter in a mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in 2/3 cup of confectioners' sugar, then add almond extract, eggs, and salt, and beat until the mixture is fluffy and well combined, about 3 more minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium, and gradually beat in flour until the dough is smooth, about 1 minute. Gently stir in the maraschino cherries.
• Form the dough into 2 logs about 1 inch in diameter, roll each log in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut each dough log into about 25 slices about 1/2-inch thick, and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between each cookie.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set but not browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove to cooling racks to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• To make icing, beat egg whites with lemon juice until frothy, about 1 minute, then beat in vanilla extract and confectioners' sugar, a cupful at a time, until the icing is smooth and spreadable. Spread about 1 teaspoon of icing on each cooled cookie, and let the icing harden before stacking.