This is adapted from an original recipe by Mary Berry, she of the Great British Bake Off fame. It’s simple and it’s delicious and it will transform you into a star baker in just a few simple steps. Of course, I’ve converted the recipe to the Thermomix but this cake is seriously simple whatever equipment you choose to use. I think all cakes cooked in a bundt tin are pretty as a picture and this one is no exception… And as the colours are so christmassy, this is another one you can add to your yuletide repetoire! You’re welcome!
Ingredients
200g glace cherries,
200g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
175g soft unsalted butter
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
175g caster sugar
3 medium free range eggs
50g ground almonds
How to
- Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease and flour a bundt tin (see tip below.)
- Rinse the cherries under the tap to remove all their sticky coating. Drain well, then leave to dry between several sheets of kitchen paper. Set aside six of the cherries for decoration and halve the others. Toss the chopped cherries in two tablespoons of the flour. Set aside.
- Measure all the remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat for about two minutes, or until well combined. Gently fold in the chopped cherries.
- The mixture will be quite thick. Spoon it into the bundt tin and spread evenly.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the tin from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before turning out to cool on a wire rack.
- For the icing, mix the icing sugar and the lemon juice together until you have a thick paste. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake using the back of a spoon. Halve the reserved cherries and decorate.
How to – Thermomix
1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced.Grease and flour a bundt tin (see tip below.)
2. Rinse the cherries under the tap to remove all their sticky coating. Drain well, then leave to dry between several sheets of kitchen paper. Set aside six of the cherries for decoration and halve the others. Toss the chopped cherries in two tablespoons of the flour. Set aside.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients to the TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides and mix for another 10 seconds on speed 4.
4. Add the chopped cherries and mix for 10 seconds on reverse speed 3 using the spatula to assist.
5. The mixture will be quite thick. Spoon it into the bundt tin and spread evenly.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.
7. Remove the tin from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before turning out to cool on a wire rack.
8. For the icing, mix the icing sugar and the lemon juice together until you have a thick paste. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake using the back of a spoon. Halve the reserved cherries and decorate.
TIP!
Make sure the bundt tin is really well-greased with melted butter and lightly flour the tin before pouring the mixture in.
The art of a good cherry cake is to have the fruit evenly distributed rather than sinking to the bottom. The cake mixture should not be too soft – the ground almonds help – that’s why the cherries need to be thoroughly rinsed and dried.
If you have a Thermomix, you can mill your own almond meal. Simply add 50g almonds to TM bowl before you start and mill for 10 seconds on speed 8 or until fine.
