Cherry Vanilla Pound Cake

I love pound cake.  I love cherries (especially maraschino cherries...and the juice). The two together should be great, right? Right!  If I were having an Easter brunch at my house...I think this would definitely be on the dessert table.

Cherry Vanilla Pound Cake
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
3 1/4 all purpose flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 10oz jars maraschino cherries, drained and chopped (save the juice!)
1 vanilla bean, scraped and reserved

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray with flour.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy.  Add sugar, beating until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.
3. In another bowl, sift together 3 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt.  Gradually add, one cup at a time, of flour mixture to butter mixture until combined.
4. Toss chopped cherries with 1/4 cup flour.  Add to batter and gently stir.  Add vanilla bead seeds. Stir.
5. Spoon into bundt pan and gently tap on counter to release any air bubbles.
6. Bake approximately 1 hour 20 minutes until wooden pick comes out clean.
7. Turn pan upside down on wire rack to cool and allow cake to release.

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons whipping cream
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

Mix together and add additional tablespoons of cream until it thin enough to drip down side of cake.

Recipe adapted from Southern Cakes.