Cherry Upside Down Cake

1/3 cup butter                                                                           2 eggs

1 cup chopped walnuts                                                       1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups drained, pitted                                                          2/3 cup milk

    cherries, cooked*                                                               2 ½ cups cake flour

2/3 cup butter                                                                           3 tsp. baking powder

2 cups sugar, divided                                                                                         

Directions:

Heat butter in a large, heavy frying pan, sprinkle with ½ cup sugar, nuts and cherries; set aside while mixing cake batter. Cream butter, add 1½ cups sugar and cream thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time and beat two minutes. Add milk and vanilla alternately with sifted cake flour and baking powder. Pour batter over mixture in skillet and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes. Turn out immediately on a large plate and serve warm with sauce made with cherry juice.

Sauce:

1 1/3 c. cherry juice                                                               2/3 c. sugar

1 tbs. cornstarch                                                                     2/3 c. whipped cream

Put one cup cherry juice in saucepan with sugar and bring to boil, thicken with cornstarch which has been mixed smooth with remaining juice. Boil 5-15 minutes, stirring constantly, then cool. Whip cream, add cherry syrup and serve with cake.

*To cook cherries: Combine  washed and pitted cherries with small amount of water and sugar in saucepan over medium heat and cook for 5-15 minutes, stirring until softened and juices are released.