Cherry Spice Bars

Yield: 2 dozen bars

Ingredients

Bars

• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries
• 1 (18.25 ounce) box spice cake mix*
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs

Glaze

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons milk

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bars

1. Drain maraschino cherries; discard juice or save for another use. Cut cherries in half. Combine dry cake mix, melted butter, brown sugar, water and eggs in a large mixing bowl; mix with a spoon or electric mixer until well combined and smooth. Stir in maraschino cherries. Spread batter into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan.
2. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until top springs back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on wire rack.

Glaze

1. Combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice; add enough milk to make a thick glaze. Drizzle glaze over cake. Allow glaze to set. Cut into bars.
2. Store, up to one week, in an airtight container with sheets of wax paper between each layer of bars.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: National Cherry Growers Foundation