Recipe Corner: Chocolate Cherry Marble Cake

Over the years I have been into baking cookies, breads, and pies. I, however, had never made a cake until a few years ago.  This was actually the first cake I ever made from scratch. I made it for my mom’s birthday and everyone loved it. Enjoy!

Ingredients
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 6 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 3/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• confectioners' sugar

Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the cherry juice, water and extract; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Mix just until combined.
2. Divide batter in half. to one portion, add cherries and walnuts; mix well. To the second portion, add chocolate; mix well. Spoon half of the cherry mixture into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Cover with half of the chocolate mixture. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners; sugar if desired.