Fresca Cake with Maraschino Icing

Servings: 8

3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 pound butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
6 large eggs
3 cups cake flour, sifted
7 ounces Fresca soda pop
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon grated lime rind

Maraschino Icing:
2 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon water
2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
10 maraschino cherries, chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch cake pan.

Cream together sugar, butter and shortening. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and Fresca alternately. Add baking powder and when mixture is fully creamed, add vanilla extract and grated lemon and lime rinds. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean.

Maraschino Icing: Mix all ingredients except cherries and beat constantly while heating in the top of a double boiler. When thoroughly mixed, thick, and spreadable, frost cake. Decorate top of cake with chopped maraschino cherries.

NOTE: Since Fresca is available only in limited areas if at all, 7-Up may be a good substitution, or any lemon-lime drink. Also, since the problem with the cherries has been resolved with a different food coloring, you may use the new ones or use gum drops instead for the garnish. Syrup from a can of dark cherries might be substituted for the maraschino cherry syrup.