1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cherries, baking powder and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, mix milk, oil, cherry juice, egg, and almond extract.

4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in liquid just to moisten.

5. Fill muffin cups two third full.

6. Combine almonds and remaining sugar; sprinkle over batter.

7. Bake at 180ºC or 25 to 30 minutes.

8. Cool 10 minutes before removing from muffin cups.

9. Makes dozen muffins