Holiday Gift Cake Recipe
- CAKE
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons CALUMET Baking Powder
- 3/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- GLAZE:
- 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Cake: GREASE 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan; sprinkle with finely chopped pecans.
- Beat cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Sift 2 cups of the flour and baking powder. Gradually add to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Toss remaining 1/4 cup flour with cherries and chopped pecans; gently stir into batter. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes; loosen from sides of pan with spatula or knife and gently remove cake. Cool completely on wire rack.
- Glaze: MIX powdered sugar and milk; drizzle over cake.
- Variations: Omit finely chopped nuts. Pour batter into 5 greased and floured 5-3/4×3-1/4-inch loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes.
- Substitute greased 9-inch springform pan with ring insert for 10-inch tube pan.
- Substitute chopped dried apricots for maraschino cherries and orange juice for milk. Add 1 teaspoon grated orange peel to Glaze.
- To Make Ahead: Bake cake; wrap securely in plastic wrap. Freeze. Thaw, wrapped, at room temperature for 12 hours. Glaze before serving.
