Cherry Layer Cake with Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake:

3 cups

sifted cake flour

2 1/2 tsp

baking powder

1 tsp

salt

1/3 cup

unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup

vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups

sugar

1/4 cup

maraschino cherry juice

3/4 cup

whole milk

1/4 tsp

almond extract

maraschino cherries, cut into eighths

egg whites, room temperature, stiffly beaten

For the Frosting:

8 oz

(1 block) cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup

unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup

maraschino cherry juice

6 cups

confectionary sugar