Holiday Gift Cake

I have been making this recipe for 18 years now, and it has become a tradition. Your family and friends will love this loaf as a gift. The cherries make it very festive, the chocolate - decadent, and the walnuts very rich. They can be stored in freezer bags if you want to get a jump on the holidays. Then, just simply take out, thaw, put a red ribbon around it, and you have an instant homemade holiday treat!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 3 loaves

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temp)
• 1  cup butter (room temp)
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 4  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1⁄4 cups flour
• 2 (10 ounce) jars maraschino cherries (rinsed and drained)
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chopped walnuts
• 11 1⁄2 ounces  milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in one large mixing bowl:.
2. - Combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
3. - Add the sugar, cream well.
4. - Add eggs and vanilla, cream well.
5. - Blend in flour and baking powder, mix until smooth.
6. - Fold in cherries,nuts and chocolate chips.
7. - Spray 3 - 1 lb. tin loaf pans with Pam.
8. - Pour the mixture into 3 - 1lb. tin loaf pans approximately 2/3 full.
9. - Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes or until golden brown.