Cherry, Almond & Vanilla White Cake

Maria Kaufmann Fisher's Kentucky State Fair Winning Cake recipe.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• Cake

• 2 1⁄4 cups cake flour, sifted
• 1  cup  whole milk, at room temperature
• 6  egg whites, at room temperature
• 2  teaspoons  almond extract
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 4  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 12  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• Cherry Filling

• 21  ounces cherry pie filling
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 2  tablespoons water

• Frosting

• 12  ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6  tablespoons butter, softened
• 4  cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 9-inch cake pans by buttering, flouring and lining with parchment paper rounds. (Or use recipe #452719 for an easier liner.).
2. Pour milk, egg whites, almond and vanilla extracts into a glass bowl and mix with a fork until combined.
3. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter and beat at slow speed until mixture forms moist crumbs, Add all but ½ cup of the milk mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining ½ cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape down sides of bowl and then beat for about 30 seconds more.
4. Divide batter evenly among three cake pans. Bake 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the center.
5. Let cakes rest for 10 minutes. Loosen from the side of the pan and and invert onto a wire rack. Remove parchment paper or wax paper. Cool completely.
6. To make cherry filling, cook cherry pie filling over medium heat in a saucepan until warm. Add one teaspoon almond extract and cook five minutes more, stirring carefully. Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add just enough to thicken the cherries, stirring constantly so no clumps form. Remove from heat and cool.
7. To make frosting, beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until all is incorporated.
8. To assemble, top one layer of cake with a thin layer of frosting. Then spoon a layer of cherries on top. Top with next layer of cake and repeat the process until assembled. Frost top and sides of cake.