Maraschino Cherry Valentine Cake and One Year Blogging Anniversary CSN Giveaway

CSN $75 Gift Code Giveaway

To help celebrate my One Year Blogging Anniversary I am hosting a $75 CSN gift code giveaway, compliments of CSN the online company that  has over 200 stores where you can find anything you need whether it be swingsets, cookware, decorating  items and much more. You can use your gift code on anything at  any CSN online store, but please check out the selection the Swingset Store has for your children and grandchildren!  SEE BELOW FOR CAKE RECIPE.

Welcome to Pink Saturday!

Playhouses

Trikes

Princess (and Prince) Bouncers

Yes, and Swing Sets

Contest Rules

1.  Open to residents of the United States and Canada only.

2.  Giveaways is a $75 gift code, provided by CSN, to use at any of their over 200 online stores.

3.  You must be a GFC follower (on left hand of blog)  -- new or former --  to be eligible to win.  I do check this.

4.  Contest ends on Friday, February 18, 2011 at 10 pm MST.

5.   Winner will be decided with the aid of Random.Org.

Two Chances to Win:

1.  Make a comment on this post, letting me know you are a follower -- this is mandatory.

2.  Click HERE to view the CSN Swingsets and More web page.  Since the swingset site is sponsoring this giveaway, look around the site and let me know in you comment what, if money were no object, you would like to buy. 

One Year Blogging Anniversary and 210 Posts

 I want to give lots of blogger love back to you who have been soooo kind and encouraging.  In a world where you can find a lot of negativity, it is nice to be able to escape to blogland and be inspired and be surrounded by positivity.   I love visiting your blogs you are creative, inspiring, and many times very humorous.  About a year ago, my then 13-year old daughter Tati, Polka Dot Pantry Sweets, asked me to help her to set up a food blog. One weekend she was planning to go to a movie with her friends.  Right before she was supposed to leave, I  checked the reviews online and realized it wasn't an appropriate movie for a 13-year old.  With exasperation in her voice she said, "Well,  if I can't go to a movie, can you help me start a food blog ? "  So I helped her start her blog and it looked so much fun that I started one myself.  Tati has found it hard to blog, swim on the high school swim team, dance, and take piano lessons...oh, and school too.

Maraschino Cherry Cake
So to celebrate my one year anniversary and for Valentine's Day, I made a very special cake.  I have a very warm memory of my mom making this type of cake for my father for Valentine's Day.  I only remember her making this once, but I loved it.  My husband has asked me to make this cake again, this time for for Valentine's Day, and then hide it  for a day while the flavors mature.  If you are so lucky to have any cake left on the second day, you will find that it does taste even better on the second day.  The Maraschino cherries and juice give this cake a delicate cherry flavor and color.  I sprinkled our cake slices with Maraschino Cherry juice, but I think a little chocolate ganache drizzled  on it would also be good.

Recipe and Instructions for Maraschino Cherry Cake

Cake Ingredients

2/3 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
5 egg whites
2 -2/3 cups flour, unsifted
2 -1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Maraschino Cherry Juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
16 Maraschino cherries, cut into eighths
1/2 cup chopped walnuts -- You could add more if you would like.

Instructions
Grease and flour two 9-inch pans.  I used my heart cake pan. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and eggs for 3-4 minutes using a heavy duty mixer.  Set aside.  Don't cheat on the creaming time.  In another medium-sized bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, mix milk cherry juice, almond extract together.  Add flour mixture to creamed butter and sugar mixture, alternating with milk and cherry juice mixture, in thirds.  Stir in, by hand, chopped cherries and nuts.  Pour into prepared pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.  It's important to not over bake.  Take it out of the oven a few minutes before you think that a wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the cake would come out clean.  The cake recipe has been adopted from a recipe on Cake Central.

Maraschino Cherry Juice Butter Cream Frosting
Blend together 1/2  cup room temperature butter, 4 cups powdered sugar 2 teaspoons almond extract, and 4-5 tablespoons Maraschino Cherry Juice. You may need to add extra cherry juice, depending on how thick you want it.   Make sure you don't make a dry frosting.  I added a little bit of cocoa powder to the frosting to pipe the "Be Mine."  I also sprinkled a bit of powdered sugar on the cake.

Thanks for dropping by and helping me celebrate my one year of blogging at Red Couch Recipes!   Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Posted with the following: 

Tidy Mom, Feature Yourself Friday, Foodie Friday, 504 Main, Home Sweet Home, Valentine Party, Weekend Wrapup, Made By You Monday