Cherry and almond cake recipe

This traditional English cake goes well with a cuppa any time of the day. And you can freeze your cherry and almond cake for up to a month.

Ingredients

• 250g (8oz) butter, softened
• 250g (8oz) caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 250g (8oz) plain flour
• A few drops of almond extract
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• 200g carton glacé cherries, halved
• 125g (4oz) ground almonds
• 4tbsp milk
• 50g (1¾oz) flaked almonds
• Icing sugar, for dusting
• 20cm (8in) round cake tin, lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Set the oven to 160ºC (320F / gas mark 3). Place an oven shelf just below the centre of the oven, so that the cake will sit in the middle.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time, along with a spoonful of flour with each egg and beat in the almond extract.
3. Sift the remaining flour and baking powder over the mixture and fold it in, then fold in the cherries, ground almonds and milk.
4. Spoon the mixture into the lined cake tin and level the surface. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds. Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for 1¼ -1½ hrs or until the cake has risen and is just firm to the touch in the centre.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for at least 30 mins. When cool transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Dust the top of cake with icing sugar just before serving and then cut into 12 slices.