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    Home » Cakes and Desserts

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    Fresh Cherry Cake

    An easy Fresh Cherry Cake recipe, based on a Madeira cake, to make the most of fresh cherries in a semi-sweet classic cake.

    Jump to Recipe
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate. A slice of cake on a small plate with a cup of tea and a bowl of cherries
    Fresh Cherry Cake

    I've been making cherry cakes for as long as I remember because they are my favourite thing. My favourite is a Cherry Loaf Cake, which is really a Cherry Madeira Cake. This cake is based on that recipe, but baked in a round tin and made with fresh cherries.

    Key ingredients in Fresh Cherry Cake

    Fresh Cherries

    The cherry season is short but, occasionally, cherries are plentiful and inexpensive. That's the time to make a Fresh Cherry Cake. Fresh cherries make a less sweet cake than glacé cherries - still delicious though.

    You will need 250g of cherries, which will give you about 220g when you've stoned them. Cut them into quarters or halves or, as I do, a mixture of both.

    Butter

    This cake is fairly plain, apart from the cherries, so it's worth using butter for that special buttery taste. I always do use butter because I prefer the flavour but I often use a cheaper brand than the one we eat.

    Ground almonds

    Cherry and almond cake is a classic favourite. Ground almonds add texture and help the cake keep longer by retaining moisture. If you want extra almond flavour, add a few drops of almond extract.

    If you don't have any ground almonds, make up the weight with flour.

    Ring the changes

    Not enough fresh cherries?

    Then make a glacé cherry cake at any time of year or try half and half fresh and glacé cherries, which I know some readers have successfully done.

    Make a Cherry Loaf Cake

    If you prefer a loaf cake, use a 2lb loaf tin (with a baking parchment liner for convenience). The cooking time will be the same.

    Secrets of success

    You need soft butter

    Your butter does need to be very soft if you're attempting an all-in-one cake by hand. If it isn't very soft, try helping it along in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time - but be careful not to overdo it.

    Don't over-process the cake mixture

    As with any all-in-one cake, don't over-process the batter if you have a processor. A minute or two is usually enough, and scrape the sides of the bowl down between sessions. Processor motor power varies though, so watch carefully.

    Mix the cherries in carefully

    Fresh cherries are quite firm, but you need to combine them gently into the batter. So beat everything else together first then fold in the cherries.

    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate

    Why is my cake dry?

    If your cakes turn out dry, check out my article Why Is My Cake Dry? for some of the most common reasons and the solutions.

    How do you make this gluten-free?

    I have successfully made a gluten-free version of this cake, using the following modifications to the recipe and ingredients:

    Ingredients

    • Ground Almonds - Although almonds are GF, they may have been processed in a factory with other products. Check the information on the package.
    • Flour - Use gluten-free self-raising flour
    • Xanthan Gum - Essential for successful GF baking. Available in most supermarkets
    • Baking powder - Check it's GF (most are)

    Method

    • Use 100g ground almonds, 150g flour, ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum, ¾ level teaspoon baking powder
    • Use more egg, either 3 extra-large hens eggs or 3 duck eggs (superb for GF baking). Or 4 medium eggs. If you're stuck with large eggs, either use an extra half (if you will use up the excess) or add 20ml milk.

    How long will it keep?

    This dense, but moist, cherry cake keeps better in the fridge than a tin, and is fine for a week at least.

    Can I freeze a fresh Cherry Cake?

    This cake freezes well. Cut into halves or quarters if you won't eat the whole cake at one time. Wrap securely in foil or a beeswax wrap and freeze for up to a month.

    What equipment do you need?

    • You need a 7-inch/ 18cm deep round cake tin for this cherry cake. I like loose-bottomed round cake tins because it's easy to get the cakes out.
    • I always line the bottom of the tin - even non-stick pans - with a baking parchment circle and I buy them pre-cut. A mixed pack lasts for years.
    • The other essential piece of equipment for this recipe is a cherry stoner, although it's usually called an olive pitter. Although it's not something you use every day, it's fairly inexpensive, and it makes the process a doddle.

    If you like this...

    ...Why don't you try:

    8 different cherry cakes and pictures of cherries

    Another cake from my collection of easy cherry cake recipes

    Apple Sponge Cake with a slice removed, on a white plate

    Apple Sponge Cake

    Apple Sponge Cake can be served warm for dessert or cold at teatime. The cake has a crispy top with an apple and sultana filling.
    Two slices of Banana Loaf on a white plate with the rest of the cake and 2 bananas in the background

    Banana Loaf

    A moist, tasty cake with raisins and pecans to use up over-ripe bananas. Ideal for packed lunches.
    3 Blackberry Scones on a white plate with blackberries.

    Blackberry Scones

    Blackberry Scones are best made with wild blackberries. Easy to find in any hedgerow (or the supermarket).

    Stockists

    18cm deep cake tin

    18cm deep round cake tin

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    Pack of assorted baking parchment circles

    Baking parchment circle

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    Olive pitter

    Olive Pitter

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    Large Beeswax Wrap

    Beeswax Loaf Wraps

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    Pin for later

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

    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate

    Recipe

    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
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    Fresh Cherry Cake

    An easy Fresh Cherry Cake recipe, based on a Madeira cake, to make the most of fresh cherries in a semi-sweet classic cake.
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course: Teatime
    Cuisine: British
    Servings: 12 slices
    Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

    Ingredients

    • 250 g fresh cherries, giving about 220g stoned fruit
    • 225 g self-raising flour
    • 160 g butter, at room temperature
    • 160 g caster sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • 25 g ground almonds
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    18 cm/7-inch deep round cake tin
    Baking parchment circle
    Olive pitter
    Beeswax loaf wrap

    Instructions

    Preparation:

    • Set the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/ gas mark 4/ 350°F
    • Grease a 17/18cm (7-inch) deep round tin with butter or use a paper liner
    • Wash and dry the cherries. Remove the stalks and take out the stones. Cut the cherries into halves and quarters (some of each)

    For the cake:

    • Put all the ingredients except the cherries into a large bowl and mix well with a mixer or in a food processor.
      (Flour, butter, sugar, eggs, ground almonds, vanilla extract)
    • Add the cherries and fold in with a large spoon until they are evenly distributed through the mixture.
    • Put the cake mixture into the prepared tin and make a slight dip along the centre to stop it peaking when cooked
    • Dredge the top of the cake with castor sugar
    • Cook for 45-60 minutes until well risen and golden and a skewer comes out clean
    • Take the cake out of the oven and leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool

    Notes

    Everyday Cooks tips

    As with all cakes, the actual cooking time depends on your oven so check the cake after 45 minutes with a skewer or cake thermometer.
    Storage
    The cake will keep for a week in an airtight tin or plastic box in the fridge. It freezes well for a couple of months

     

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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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    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate. A slice of cake on a small plate with a cup of tea and a bowl of cherries
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate. A slice of cake on a small plate with a cup of tea and a bowl of cherries
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate
    Fresh Cherry Cake, with a slice removed, on a patterned plate

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