Cherry Almond Torte

Total Time: 3 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 (17 1/4 ounce) box yellow cake mix with pudding
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese spread, softened
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350°f
• 2 grease bottoms only of two 9-inch round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray.
• 3 in large bowl, beat all cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed just until combined; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. pour and spread batter evenly into pans.
• 4 bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• 5 cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks.
• 6 cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• 7 meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix pie filling and cornstarch.
• 8 cook over medium heat about 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.
• 9 remove from heat to cool.
• 10 in medium bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form.
• 11 beat in cream cheese spread until fluffy.
• 12 reserve 1/2 cup whipped cream mixture for garnish.
• 13 stir almonds into remaining cream mixture.
• 14 with serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
• 15 to assemble torte, place 1 half cake layer on serving plate; spread with 1 cup almond cream.
• 16 top with second half layer; spread with 1 cup cherry mixture.
• 17 top with third half layer; spread with 1 cup almond cream.
• 18 place remaining half layer on top.
• 19 spoon remaining cherry mixture on top of torte, spreading almost to edge.
• 20 frost side of torte with remaining 1 1/4 cups almond cream.
• 21 spoon reserved 1/2 cup whipped cream mixture into decorating bag with large star tip.
• 22 pipe cream around top edge of torte. refrigerate about 2 hours before serving.
• 23 store in refrigerator.