A summer cherry and almond cake

The cherry season will be coming to a close soon (cue tears), so I just had to share with you a really easy and delicious cherry almond cake before the cherry pickers put down their tools for another season. This cake can be served with a dusting of icing sugar and double cream or you can pair with your favourite buttercream and sour cherry jam and pipe until your hearts content. Either way, this cake will be an instant hit. 

Let's get into the recipe, shall we? This one has been adapted from a lemon, blueberry and almond loaf cake from Ottolenghi. 

Cherry and almond cake
INGREDIENTS
225g unsalted butter, softened 
235g caster sugar
1 tbs vanilla extract 
4 large eggs
135g self raising flour
1/2 salt
165g almond meal
30g sour cream
300g pitted cherries + extra for decorating (optional)

Method - 
1. Pre-heat your oven to 160c. Line two x 6 inch round tins with cooking spray and baking paper. Alternatively, 1 x 7 inch tin will do the trick.
2. Start by beating your butter, sugar and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until pale and creamy in colour. 
3. Whisk together the eggs in a separate bowl or jug. Add to butter mixture. Beat until combined. At this point, adding the eggs may give you the impression everything has curdled. It will come back together, don't fret.
4. Switch to the paddle attachment and mix through self raising flour, salt and almond meal. Mix through until combined before adding your sour cream. Fold (by hand) in your pitted cherries. 
5. Divide the batter between two x 6 inch round tins and bake for 45 mins. If using one large tin, you'll need to bake your cake for about an hour or so - simply monitor in your oven and bake until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre. 
6. Turn cakes out of tins when cooled slightly and dust liberally with icing sugar. Serve warm with double cream. Alternatively, allow to cool completely and stack with buttercream and sour cherry jam. Decorate as you please.

Trixie Tips & Tricks!
GF OPTION: Swap out the regular self raising flour for gluten free flour for your gluten intolerant pals. 

A PITTER IS HANDY: A cherry pitter is a handy way to get those stones out of the cherries! I have one similar to this! 

INGREDIENT SWAP: Don't have sour cream? Use greek yoghurt instead. 

CBF? Can't be bothered making your own? Let us make you this cherry themed cake! It's not cherry flavoured, but tis cherry themed and incredibly cute!