MOTHER'S DAY CAKE

1 lg. pkg. White Cake Mix
1 C. Powdered Sugar
Red Food Color
1/2 C. finely chopped Walnuts
8 oz. pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 C. finely Glace Cherries or Maraschino Cherries
2 T. Milk
Recipe for Fluffy White Frosting (in Frosting section)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
Decorating Rosette tip # 28
1/2 tsp. Rum Extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Make cake mix according to package directions, adding a few drops red food coloring to tint batter a delicate pink. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8-inch pans and bake 30-35 min. Cool on wire racks in pans 5 min. Tap to loosen and remove to cool on wire racks. When cool, split horizontally each layer by wrapping a long thread around it, cross ends, and pull gently.

Filling: In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, blend cream cheese with milk, vanilla extract, rum extract. Gradually beat in sugar; then beat until smooth. Stir in walnuts and cherries. Use to fill three cake layers; top with remaining layer.

Frosting: In large bowl, make fluffy white frosting. Add a few drops of red food coloring to tint a delicate pink. Continue beating till frosting is stiff enough to hold shape. Set aside 1-1/2 C. frosting.

Lightly frost entire cake to set crumbs, then generously frost. Place some of reserved frosting in decorating bag with rosette tube #28 and make small drop rosettes around base of cake. With the rest of frosting in same decorating bag, with same tube, make large drop rosettes around top of cake. Cut with serrated-edge knife, dipped in tall glass of hot water.