Recipe(tried): Mamaw Smith's Cherry Cake (1930's) and need help with can size

Hello everyone!
I have a question about an old cherry cake recipe that my mom gave me a copy of. It was her grandmother's recipe and what follows is the recipe exactly as I received it.

MAMAW SMITH'S CHERRY CAKE

2 Tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
pinch salt
1/2 cup milk
1 can tart cherries
1 cup sugar
1/2 bottle red coloring

Cream butter and sugar. Add milk, then all dry ingredients which have been sifted. Mix cherries, sugar, and color. Heat, but not to boiling. Pour cake in pan and spoon cherries on top. Bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees.

I figure my Mamaw made this up from the 30s until the mid-60s or so. Anyone know what size can of cherries could be meant? I'm wanting to can my own cherries, so I'd like to know what size jars to put by for this (maybe pints?) - probably in water/juice because of the cup of sugar added to the cherries, right? Do y'all think they should be drained or not (I'm thinking not)? Oh, would it be awful looking without the color - I don't fancy the taste of color in large quantities! :)
If anyone can help out, I'd love that, and I hope someone enjoys this recipe, too!
Thanks everyone,
Amanda