By Seren Charrington Hollins
When you think of a traditional slice of cake and a nice cup of tea in a china cup, it is hard not to imagine that cake being a cherry cake. I love traditional cakes that are nor too overly sweet or overloaded with icing and frosting.
It is true that the cherries sometimes sink, but believe me it is a recipe that is worth perfecting. I have found that by folding the cherries in gently, slicing them and dusting them with flour first it helps to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
Here is my cherry cake recipe, it is a very traditional farmhouse style cherry cake and it freezes really well.
Ingredients
200g glacé cherries
175g block butter, at room temperature
175g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs, whisked lightly
175g plain flour
½ level teaspoon baking powder
75g ground almonds
a few drops almond extract
1 dessertspoon milk
18cm round cake tin, buttered and lined
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4
Then begin by preparing the cherries.
If your glace cherries are simply dripping in syrup, pat them dry with kitchen paper, then slice each one into four. Lightly dust them with some flour. It is important to flour the cherries before adding to the cake otherwise they will sink to the bottom of the cake.
Now it’s time to prepare the cake mixture. Cream the butter and sugar together until light, pale and fluffy. Now gradually beat in the whisked eggs a little at a time. Then sift the flour and baking powder together, and carefully fold this into the creamed mixture using a metal spoon. Carefully fold the ground almonds and half of the cherries into the cake, adding one or two drops of almond extract and the milk. Now add the other half of the cherries and carefully fold in.
Spoon the cake mix into the prepared tin, level off the top with the back of a spoon, then bake the cake near the centre of the oven for 50 minutes, then cover with double thickness foil and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes, or until the centre is springy to touch.
Cool the cake in the tin for 15-20 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool.
Store in an airtight tin.
This cake keeps very well and an absolute teatime must. Enjoy!
