Best lemon box cake recipe with cherries

MAKES: 12-15 servings

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen pitted sweet cherries
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups milk
• TOPPING:
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• two tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 3-1/two to four cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Pat cherries dry with sponges put aside. Inside a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, individually, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon peel and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt increase creamed mixture alternately with milk.
2. Pour right into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with cherries. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick placed close to the center arrives clean. Awesome on the wire rack.
3. For topping, inside a bowl, beat cream cheese, fresh lemon juice and peel until smooth. Beat in enough confectioners' sugar until mixture achieves preferred consistency. Cut cake top each bit having a dollop of topping. Yield: 12-15 servings.

Initially printed as Lemon Cherry Cake in Taste of Home April/May 2003, p31

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