Shelly's Recipe

CREAM CHEESE CHRISTMAS CAKE

Category: Cakes

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese; softened
1 cup butter; softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 jar (8 oz) maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla and spices. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. In small bowl, combine flour with baking powder; gradually add 2 cups of the flour mixture to butter mixture.

To remaining flour mixture add maraschino cherries and 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans; fold into batter. Grease 10 inch bundt pan or containere pan; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen edge; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

In small bowl, beat confectioners sugar and milk until smooth. Spoon icing over cake. Garnish with pecan halves and candied cherries.