• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Grease and flour 2 round cake pans.
• Drain the cherries and reserve juice.
• Slice cherries in half.
• Put the cake mix in a mixer bowl.
• Add enough milk to the cherry juice to bring the liquid to 1 cup.
• Pour that into the cake mix.
• Add all the other ingredients, except cool whip, to the bowl and mix until well combined.
• Pour into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when you test the center.
• Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then remove to cooling racks.
• After completely cool, frost with cool whip

For the homemade whipped topping:

• Place the sugar into the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, or use a hand mixer, and add the whipping cream.
• Mix with an electric mixer just until the cream reaches stiff peaks.
• Add in vanilla, and gently mix in.