CHERRY SMASHED CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Mix sugar and butter cream until smooth about 10min. Add the eggs one at a time beating until smooth
• 2. Sift the cake flour, add baking soda, baking powder, and salt together then add to the mixture with alternating milk to mix add in vanilla mix
• 3. Spray 2- 8 inch cake pans and add cake evenly in the pans Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 min check at 30 to assure not burning and test with tooth pick for doneness. This is a dry shortbread type of cake old recipe from the 50s so not for a cake that will not be moistened by the filling. Good for strawberry short cake too.
• 4. FIRST FILLING: butter needs to be soft add butter and sugar in mixer. Slow speed add the sweet condensed milk, chopped cherries and flavoring. Mix until cream stage if too wet add a little more sugar. STRAIN THE CHERRIES FROM THE JUICE KEEP THE RESERVED JUICE FOR THE FLAVORING IN THE ICING AND FILLING ALSO TO DRIZZLE IN THE CAKE LAYERS
• 5. SECOND CHOCOLATE FILLING LAYER: melt chocolate chips with half&half or milk and flavoring stir in one cup of powered sugar, mix till spreadable not soup like but a little stiff
• 6. ICING: Mix all the ingredients and make sure it is just the right consistency to spread and stay on the cake. This is a professional bakery icing and may be alot left over but the recipe calls for two boxes of powered sugar so I made it with my version of flavoring.
• 7. ASSEMBLING THE CAKE: Slice layers in half making 4 layers, let cool on cooling rack. While on cooling rack take the cherry juice and drizzle into the layers and let stand while cooling. Assemble one layer on the plate, first cherry filling then top with some chocolate. Keep doing until all 4 layers are together even on top of cake. Spread some of the cherry filling around the sides too. Not thick THE LAYERS MUST BE COMPLETELY COOL BEFORE ADDING FILLING AND SIT FOR A WHILE TO SOAK IN THE CHERRY JUICE. BE SURE TO POKE THE WHOLES IN YOUR LAYERS TO ABSORB INTO THE CAKE LAYERS, VERY IMPORTANT
• 8. ICING: Now finish the cake by adding the icing all over the cake and I like it thick. Let set and be sure to refrigerate due to the milk in the cake icing. I let stand out for about an hour before serving after it has been refregerated. Cake is better the next day. It sits and just soaks up that flavor.