Cherry Swirl Coffee Cake

I did it! I did it! I DID IT!!! I FINALLY made something with yeast. I have been so fearful of baking anything that contained yeast, that I just kept putting it off and off until I finally decided to just do it already! It was a bit confusing for me since I have Rapid Rise yeast instead of just regular yeast, because I wasn't sure to follow the recipe for the coffee cake or the instructions on the package of the yeast. The very last thing I need when trying something new is confusion. I get very irritated to say the least. I did add the yeastby itself to the wet ingredients which as it turns out I should not have. I should have added it to the dry ingredients but it worked out anyhow. I must have done something wrong though since I was only able to get one coffee cake out of this recipe and it does state that it makes 2. I will make it again, this time with a bit more knowledge and an idea of what I am doing....all in all it came out well and was very tasty. I came across the recipe at Bunny's Warm Oven . You can also find the recipe here at Crisco Recipes. If you are not used to working with yeast this is a good beginner recipe. If I can do this, anyone can!!

1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Crisco All Vegetable Shortening
1 (1/4 oz) package active dry yeast
3 1/4 cups Pillsbury Best All Purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crisco original non stick cooking spray
1 cup cherry preserves
1 cup powdered sugar
milk
1/3 cup sliced almonds (I omitted these)

Heat 1 1/4 cups milk, salt, granulated sugar and shortening in small saucepan just to boiling, cool to lukewarm (105 to 115 F). Stir in yeast, transfer mixture to medium bowl.
Add one 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 warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about one hour. Stir batter down.
Spray to 9 inch round cake pans with no stick cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pans, let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 375 F. Make a swirl design on top of batter about 1/2 inch deep with a floured spoon, fill grooves with preserves, using 1/4 cup for each cake.
Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from pans, cool on wire racks until warm. Fill grooves with remaining preserves.
Mix powdered sugar with enough milk to make thin glaze, drizzle over warm coffee cakes. Sprinkle with almonds.