Maraschino Cherry Pound Cake with Cherry Cream Cheese Icing

3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup vegetable shortening such as Crisco
3/4 cup milk
1/2 (10 oz) bottle maraschino cherries (reserve other half for icing)
Juice from 1/2 (10 oz) bottle maraschino cherries (reserve other half for icing)
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream Crisco and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well, then add flour, milk, vanilla and cherry juice alternately. Do not mix cherries with mixer. Dice them in small pieces and stir with spoon. Bake at 300: in tube pan for 1 1/2 hours.

ICING (Optional)

1 (1 lb) box powdered sugar
3 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 stick margarine
reserved 1/2 (10 oz) bottle diced cherries
reserved juice from 1/2 (10 oz) bottle cherry juice
1/2 cup pecans (chopped)

Mix all together until fluffy.