Valentine's Day Chocolate Covered Cherry Bundt Cake

Recipe Courtesy of Nordic Ware with Permission.

Ingredients:

• 2 softened sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 room temperature eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cherry extract
• 1/4 teaspoon red gel food coloring
• 2 cups cake flour
• 3 tablespoons divided cake flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 16 ounces drained maraschino cherries
• 3 ounces chocolate candy coating
• 1 cup optional powder sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare Elegant Heart Bundt pan with non-stick spray and set aside. Drain juice from cherries (save juice in the refrigerator if making optional glaze), chop cherries coarsely, and place on paper towels to drain, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating for two minutes. Mix in vanilla extract, almond extract, cherry extract, and red food coloring. Slowly beat in half of the flour mixture, then milk, and then the remaining flour mixture until smooth.
4. Sprinkle cherries with 3 tablespoons of cake flour and roll them until coated. Gently fold cherries into the batter.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter to remove air bubbles. Place in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
6. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cake plate and cool completely.
7. Melt chocolate candy coating in the microwave for 20-second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth and drizzle over the cake.

Serving recommendations: To create a cherry cordial effect, stir 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of reserved cherry juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cake or onto individual servings.