A decadent treat for Valentine’s Day

Tart, red cherries and Valentine’s Day seem to be the perfect pair. Not only do cherries align with a Valentine’s Day color scheme, but they even resemble little hearts when hanging from their stems.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day involves many different traditions, including enjoying decadent desserts. Purchasing ready-made treats from a local bakery is one way to indulge in sugary confections, but crafting a recipe at home is a great way to show that special someone how much you care.

These cherry pie bars, from “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy,” by Danielle Kartes, aren’t exactly a pie but a pound cake with a pie-filling swirl. They can be enjoyed on many different occasions but make for something sweet on Valentine’s Day.

Cherry pie bars

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• Four eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• One 21-ounce can cherry pie filling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the sugar and butter on low speed. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until just combined.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Spread a little more than half the cake batter into the pan. Evenly spread the pie filling over the top, then spoon the rest of the cake batter over the pie filling. It’s fine if the cherries show through.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the top has turned slightly golden. Don’t overbake. Allow to cool and slice into squares. Enjoy!