Cherry Pecan Coffee Cake

I found the original recipe for this cake in an old issue of Southern Living, and it was originally made as an Apricot-Almond Coffee Cake. I made the apricot version and it was so delicious. Today, I needed something red or pink, not screaming Valentine's Day, but just a hint of Valentine's flavor, to serve at my jewelry training party tomorrow evening. I decided to make this coffee cake into a Cherry Pecan Coffee Cake. My house smells so wonderful right now! That delectable cake is sitting there cooling, waiting to be drizzled and is begging me to come hither with my fork! I am sure there will be a piece of that cake missing before my party tomorrow evening. I mean, who can leave a perfectly wonderful smelling cake sitting in the kitchen, all warm and oozing with drizzled pecans! Come on, give a girl a break! Just one tiny piece?!

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup cherry preserves

16 ounce package pound cake mix (take one tablespoon out and set aside)

8 ounces sour cream

1/2 cup milk (I use canned evaporated milk)

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze

Directions:

BEAT cream cheese, preserves and one tablespoon of the cake mix just until blended and set aside.

BEAT sour cream, milk, eggs, almond extract and remaining cake mix at low speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds or until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat 3 more minutes.

POUR cake batter into a lightly greased 13x9-inch pan. Drop cream cheese mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls evenly over batter. Swirl batter gently with a knife. Sprinkle pecans evenly over the top.

BAKE at 350 degrees for 25 to 28 minutes or until golden.

COOL on a wire rack 20 minutes. Drizzle Glaze over slightly warm cake or individual pieces.

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 to 2 tablespoons milk (I use canned evaporated milk)

STIR together powdered sugar, extract and one tablespoon of the milk until smooth. Add additional milk if needed to get the desired consistency.

NOTES: To make the apricot version just switch out the cherry preserves for apricot preserves and the pecans for almond slices. This is fantastic with any flavor of preserves you can think of! I would love to try it with homemade pear preserves or blackberry preserves. Mmm so delicious! And YES I CUT A PIECE! I had to have a picture for my post, right?