This Cherry Sheet Cake has a gorgeous color and is bursting with cherry flavor. It's covered in an almond-flavored cream cheese icing. So delicious for Valentine's Day or a potluck.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
Combine milk, cherry juice, and vanilla in a glass measuring cup. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add shortening and half the milk mixture and beat at low speed using the whisk attachment for 2 minutes.Note: Or you can use a hand-held mixer.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add remaining milk mixture and egg whites and beat on low speed for 2 more minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Fold in the cherries and pecans and transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs.Let cool before frosting.
To make the icing, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add milk and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar one cup at a time and then the almond extract. Beat really well and then spread on cake.
Place cherries on top for garnish.
Notes
Be sure to sift the cake flour into a bowl before you measure it to get an accurate measurement. Cake flour tends to clump together and if you do not sift before you measure, you will end up with too much flour and your cake will be dry.