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    Home » Cakes and Desserts

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    Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes

    Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes are based on the traditional Cherry Bakewell Tart. No pastry here, just almond cake with raspberry jam and icing - and a cherry on top.

    Jump to Recipe
    Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a plate
    Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes

    I've always loved iced cakes, especially topped with a cherry. Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes take the concept a step further by adding a slug of raspberry conserve inside a moist almond cake. Yum!

    Cherries - dark or red?

    I've used natural-dyed glace cherries because it's all I keep in the cupboard. If you want a nice bright red cherry on top, buy the others.

    Secrets of Success

    Getting the jam in the middle

    Good question. In the past, I've cut out a cone of cake as if you're making Butterfly Cakes (where you can find detailed instructions). You put the jam in the hollow and cut the point off the cone and place the lid back on.

    Recently I discovered a cupcake corer. I have to say this was a totally new bit of kit and I wasn't sure it would work, but it was only £3 so I bought one to see - and it does work. It takes a plug out of the cake so that you have a square-ish hole to fill with jam.

    If you do a lot of baking this is a good gadget, but if not, a pointed knife will do a similar job (as it has for me for decades!).

    Making the icing smooth

    The trick with glace icing, or water icing, is to get the consistency right. You want it loose enough to spread of its own accord, but thick enough to stop before it runs off the edge of the cake.

    I always use boiling water to make the icing because the heat makes it a bit runnier, but as it (quickly) cools the icing thickens. The other thing is to use slightly less water than you think to start with and add a little more if the icing is too thick. If you add too much water you will need to add more sugar.

    The consistency is right when a spoonful dropped onto the cake surface slowly spreads out and becomes even and flat. You can help the process along by gently tipping the cake to the side if the icing isn't spreading evenly.

    As you can tell from the pictures, I'm more into easy than perfect, so I'm sure you could make a perfectly smoothly iced top with more effort and a hot knife.

    Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a wire cooling rack

    Does the icing sugar need sieving?

    It depends. For these cakes, using fresh icing sugar and boiling water, no it doesn't (and I didn't for these). If the sugar has been open a long time it starts to cake and doesn't dissolve evenly, so then I do sieve it.

    If you like this...

    Why don’t you try:

    Iced Cherry Cake with a slice cut, on a white plate.

    Iced Cherry Cake

    Iced Cherry Cake, made in a loaf tin, is a favourite for afternoon tea. Easy to make using the all-in-one method, this cake will keep for a couple of weeks.
    Three Triple Cherry Cupcakes on the worktop

    Triple Cherry Cupcakes

    Triple Cherry Cupcakes are cherry cakes with cherry-flavoured buttercream icing and a maraschino cherry on top.

    Cherry Buns

    Cherry Buns are fun and easy to make with kids. Great for a family tea or party.

    Stockists

    Cupcake Corer

    Cupcake corer

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    12-hole cupcake/muffin tin

    12-hole cupcake/muffin tin

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    Metallic cupcake cases in rainbow colours

    Cupcake Cases

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    Hover over any picture on the page and hit the Save button to pin the image to one of your Pinterest boards.

    Three Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a plate with three in the background
    Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes

    Recipe

    One whole and one cut Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a plate.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes

    Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes have an almond cake with raspberry jam, iced and topped with a cherry.
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Total Time55 minutes mins
    Course: Teatime
    Cuisine: British
    Servings: 12 cupcakes
    Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

    Ingredients

    For the Cakes:

    • 125 g butter, at room temperature
    • 125 g caster sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 75 g self-raising flour
    • 75 g ground almonds
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • Large pinch of salt
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (2.5ml)
    • ½ teaspoon almond extract (2.5ml)

    For the filling and icing:

    • Raspberry jam
    • 350 g icing sugar
    • Hot water
    • 6 glacé cherries
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    Equipment

    12-hole cupcake/muffin tin
    Cupcake/muffin cases
    Cupcake corer

    Instructions

    Preparation:

    • Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 170°C fan/ gas mark 5/ 375°F
    • Line the bun tins with 10-12 paper cupcake cases

    For the cakes:

    • Beat the cake ingredients together thoroughly (easiest in a machine or with a hand mixer)
      (Butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract)
    • Put two teaspoons of mixture into each paper case
      The cases will be about half full
    • Cook for 20-25 minutes until the cake surface springs back when you touch it lightly with your fingertip
    • Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove and leave to cool on a wire rack

    To fill the cakes:

    • Use a cupcake corer to remove the centre of the cake
      OR
      Use a small, sharp knife to cut a cone-shaped out of the cake. Start near one edge and push the point down and towards the centre. Keeping the point in the same place, move the knife around the cake
    • Put a small spoon of jam in the cavity
    • If necessary, trim the piece of cake before you put the lid back on to make a flat cake again

    To decorate the cakes:

    • Mix the icing sugar with 40-50ml hot water from the kettle. Start with 3 tablespoons (45ml) and see if you need any extra
    • The consistency will be thick but as you put it on the cake it will spread slowly without needing a knife
    • Put a spoonful on each cake and top with half a glace cherry.

    Notes

    EVERYDAY COOKS TIPS:

    Variation:
    • Fairy Cakes - This recipe will make 20-24 fairy cakes. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
    Storage:
    • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks

    More Everyday Cake, Bakes and Dessert Recipes

    • Sherry Trifle decorated with cream and raspberries in a crystal bowl on a dark worktop
      Sherry Trifle
    • Small Christmas Loaf Cake decorated with marzipan, icing and marzipan stars. Two mugs of tea and a Christmas decorations in the background.
      Easy Christmas Loaf Cake
    • Half a Coconut Loaf Cake with a slice cut on a grey plate
      Coconut Loaf Cake
    • Stack of 6 Anzac Biscuits on a square white plate
      Anzac Biscuits

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elizabeth says

      March 08, 2021 at 4:01 pm

      5 stars
      Divine little cakes. They were much easier than I thought they would be. I ran out of raspberry jam so used cherry jam for the remaining. Super delicious. Also I didn’t make as much icing (only about 200g) and it worked perfectly.

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        March 08, 2021 at 5:28 pm

        Hi Elizabeth, Cherry jam is good too 🙂 Glad you like the cakes.

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote

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    Hi, I'm Susie. Mostly I love cooking and baking, but combining work and home life often leaves me feeling that providing healthy, tasty food for my family is a chore. On those days I am decidedly an Everyday Cook...

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    Six Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a cloth
    Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a wire cooling rack
    Six Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a cloth
    Three Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a cloth
    One whole and one cut Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a plate.
    Three Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a plate with three in the background
    Three Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes on a cloth

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