Cassandra's Favorite - Cherry Garden Cake

Cherry Garden Cake is heaven sent. With it's delicious maraschino cherries and the flavor and crunch of the walnuts, you can't go wrong...unless you have a nut allergy, and that would be sad. "I love Cherry Garden Cake. It was my favorite. In fact, it was my birthday cake of choice as far back as I can remember...not true, my mom may have been making Cherry Garden Cake for me eons before I recall, but the first one I do remember was when I was probably 11. My June birthday was the marker for summer to begin in earnest. School was out about one week prior and I think first-crop-hay was nearly cut. The American Falls canal and the People's canal were both full and people were irrigating. My summer birthday meant thongs (flip-flops), a fishing pole, sometimes an inflatable beach ball and usually an outfit. One outfit I remember and loved was orange shorts and a sleeveless white blouse with big orange polka dots. Another outfit I loved was one my mom made, a short sleeved colorful striped buttoned shirt with shorts to match. The striped skirt had slits up the sides to my hips, showing the shorts underneath. Very fashionable. Oh, the cake! We always had lard when we had hogs butchered. We rarely had Crisco. That cake, made with lard, was wonderfully heavy and delicious. Mom usually put walnuts in it as well. The frosting was also made with some of the juice from the drained and chopped cherries. (The cake was) round, double layered, and often with part melted candles from another birthday, probably Cory's. Vanilla ice cream only. Yum!" -Cassie Q The recipe will go here when I find it!!!!