1 1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. shortening or butter
1 pkg. (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
3 1/4 c. flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. cherry or apricot preserves
1 c. powdered sugar
Milk
1/3 c. sliced almonds

Heat 1 1/4 cups milk, salt, sugar and shortening in small saucepan just to boiling. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in yeast; transfer mixture to medium bowl.

Add 1 cup flour to milk mixture; beat well. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a thick batter; beat until smooth. Let rise, covered, in a warm place free from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Stir batter down.

Pour batter into 2 greased 9 inch round cake pans. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Make a swirl design on top of batter with a floured spoon. Fill grooves with preserves, using 1/4 cup for each coffee cake.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake coffee cakes until golden, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans, cool on wire racks. Fill grooves with remaining preserves. Mix powdered sugar with enough milk to make a thin glaze consistency. Drizzle over warm coffee cakes. Top with almonds. Makes 2 coffee cakes.