Cherry Nut Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit

Chop 12 cherries into halves or thirds and put into mix last.

Mix cake mix and pudding mix together.

Set aside 3 tablespoons cherry juice for icing.

Pour remaining cherry juice into a 1 cup measure and add water to equal one cup.

To the dry mixture add the 1 cup of juice/water mixture, oil, eggs, beating about 2 minutes till well mixed then add 1/4 cup chopped nuts, chopped cherries and mix those in.

Bake. Cupcakes take about 20 min, bundt 45-50 min, 9x13 pan 25-33 min. Use the cake mix instruction as a guide. Cake is done when toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cherry Buttercream icing, beat the butter, 3 tablespoons cherry juice and vanilla til well mixed. start adding powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well,If mixture is too thin add more powdered sugar. Too thick add a splash of milk. Use at least 3 cups powdered sugar. Frost cake while frosting is still soft then sprinkle with remaining nuts, cut additional cherries in half and decorate cake. I refrigerate the cake until the icing is dry, then it can sit out at room temperature.

You can use canned cream cheese icing, whip the cherry juice into it and add powdered sugar until icing is stiff.