This cake is a version of my apple cake only made with cherries and almonds. It’s a very moist puddingy cake and it goes marzipany in the centre and has a pie like crust on the outside. The cherries I use are hassle free frozen ones from the supermarket which have been stoned and are cheap and easy. 

Ingredients

Serves about 8

• 500g of stoned cherries (I use frozen stoned cherries, thawed and drained from Sainsbury’s)
• 1 cup of ground almonds
• 2 cups of flour (I use spelt)
• 2 cups of sugar (I use golden caster sugar)
• 1 tsp of salt
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup of flavourless vegetable oil (I use mild olive or mild coconut oil)
• 4 medium eggs or egg replacer for 4 eggs (available online or in Wholefoods)
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp of almond extract
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• Icing sugar for dusting

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How:

Preheat oven to 180c /350 F.

Prepare a deep 20 centimetre cake tin by laying a circle of grease proof paper in the bottom and spraying with cake release spray or brushing with a little oil.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, ground almonds, salt, and baking powder.

In a really big bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, almond extract, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and zest until fluffier and lighter in colour. Stir in the dry ingredients until all mixed together.

Tip half of the cake batter into the baking tin. Next, add an even layer of cherries, using half and saving the rest for the top. Pour over the remaining cake batter. Lastly, dot the remaining cherries on top. 

Bake for about 70 -90 minutes. I put a loose piece of tin foil over the top after 35 minutes so it doesn’t go too brown on top. The cake is done when a skewer comes out clean from the centre. All ovens vary, I use a separate oven thermometer in mine to be sure. The cherries can sink down a bit, however it’s still delicious.

Let the cake cool in the pan for ten minutes before running a knife round the outer edge of the cake to release it and putting on a plate or serving dish. You can dust it with icing sugar if you fancy or ice it with a lemony icing. Delicious on its own with coffee or tea or with dairy free vanilla ice cream or custard.

I shop at:
Waitrose
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Lidl