Mary Berry Cherry Almond Cake Recipes

CHERRY AND ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 160C/ 325F/ Gas 3.
• Line a 20cm deep cake tin with greased non-stick baking paper.
• Place the cherry halves in a small bowl and coat with 1tbs of the flour. Put to one side.
• Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream together.
• Add the almond essence and then gradually add the eggs, beating well in between each addition.
• Stir in 60g of flaked almonds and the lemon rind.
• Fold in both flours and then gently fold in the cherries.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
• Sprinkle the remaining almonds over the surface and then bake for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes until golden.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

CHERRY BAKEWELL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and make sure there's a shelf ready in the middle. Butter and line the bases of two 20cm round sandwich tins with baking paper.
• Using electric beaters, beat together all the cake ingredients with a pinch of salt until smooth, then spoon into the tins and level the tops. Bake for 30 mins or until golden and springy. Don't open the oven before 25 mins cooking time has passed.
• When they're ready, cool the sponges for a few mins, then tip out of the tins and cool completely on a wire rack. Make sure the top of one of the cakes is facing up as you'll want a smooth surface for the icing later on.
• When cool, put one sponge on a serving plate, then spread with jam. Sandwich the second sponge on top. Sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl. Add the water or lemon juice, then stir until smooth and thick. Spread evenly over the top and let it dribble over the sides. Scatter with the nuts and leave to set for a few mins before cutting.

MARY'S CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 23cm/9in bundt tin or savarin mould with butter.
• Cut the cherries into quarters. Set aside five of the quartered cherries for the decoration later. Put the rest of the quartered cherries in a sieve and rinse under running water. Drain well then dry thoroughly on kitchen paper and toss in two tablespoons of the flour.
• Measure all the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and beat well for two minutes to mix thoroughly. Lightly fold in the cherries. Turn into the prepared tin.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until well risen, golden-brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out and cool on a wire rack.
• For the icing, mix the icing sugar together with the lemon juice to a thick paste. Drizzle over the cooled cake using the back of a spoon, sprinkle over the toasted almonds and reserved cherries.

MARY BERRY CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4. Spray an 18cms/7" savarin mould or bundt tin with some cake release spray or grease with butter.
• Cut the cherries for the cake into quarters, rinse them well in warm water and then dry thoroughly before sprinkling some flour over them, toss in the flour to coat them all.
• Measure the rest of the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat well for 2 to 3 minutes - I used a hand held mixer - until the ingredients are well blended. Add the cherries and lightly fold them into the cake batter.
• Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin or mould and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. Test by inserting a skewer into the middle of the cake, it should come out clean if the cake is baked.
• Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn it out to cool completely on a wire rack.
• When the cake is cold, make the icing by mixing the icing sugar with the lemon juice to make a thick paste. Place the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the icing over the cake with the back of a spoon. Scatter the toasted almonds over the icing and then arrange the cherries on top.

EASY CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C/160C Fan/Gas 3½. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin (approximately 13x23cm/5x9in) with baking paper.
• Cut the cherries in half, tip into a sieve and rinse well under warm water to remove the sticky syrup. Dry well on kitchen paper and tip the cherries into a bowl, add the plain flour, mix well to coat and set aside.
• Cream together the softened butter and 175g/6oz caster sugar until really pale and light. This will take 3-4 minutes and is quicker and easier using a freestanding mixer but an electric hand whisk also works well. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well between each addition.
• Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and mix again to combine.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into the bowl, add the ground almonds and milk and beat until smooth and thoroughly combined.
• Fold the cherries into the mixture and spoon into the prepared loaf tin. Spread level with the back of a spoon, sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar and scatter with the flaked almonds. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 1 hour until the cake is golden-brown, well-risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. If the cake is browning too quickly loosely cover the top with a sheet of foil for the last 15 minutes.
• Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then carefully lift out onto a cooling rack and leave until cold before slicing.

MARY BERRY(-ISH) CHERRY BAKEWELL TART

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor (you could also do this by hand using a pastry cutter or your fingers), pulse together the Butter and Flour, until the largest chunks of butter are the size of large breadcrumbs or peas. Add the salt and confectioners' sugar, and egg, pulse again. Slowly add the ice water while pulsing until the ingredients just begin to form a soft dough.
• On a floured work surface, pour out the dough and roll into a 12″ circle. Transfer the circle to your 9" tart pan or springform, allowing the dough to cover the sides of the pan about 1-2 inches. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 390F. Line the bottom and sides of the tart shell with parchment paper (or foil would work) and cover with pie weights or dried beans (see Notes). Bake 15 minutes, remove weights or beans, then the parchment. Return to oven for 5 minutes until crust appears dry. Cool on a rack for several minutes while preparing filling.
• Spread the jam across the slightly cooled crust.
• Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the almond flour, egg, salt and almond extract and mix until incorporated. The mixture should be quite thick, sort of like thick oatmeal. Spoon on top of the jam in the shell and smooth with an offset knife.
• Sprinkle the flattened top of the filling with the sliced almonds.
• Reduce oven heat to 355F. Bake 25-35 minutes until top is golden and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the tart comes out clean. Let the tart cool in the pan until completely cool.
• When ready to serve, sift confectioners sugar over tart.

OLD-FASHIONED CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Begin by preparing the cherries. If they're dripping in syrup, pat them dry with kitchen paper, then slice each one into four. For the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until light, pale and fluffy. Now gradually beat in the whisked eggs a little at a time. Then sift the flour and baking powder together, and carefully fold this into the creamed mixture using a metal spoon. Toss two thirds of the cherries together with the ground almonds and carefully fold these into the cake, adding one or two drops of almond extract and the milk. Now spoon the cake mix into the prepared tin, level off the top with the back of a spoon, then sprinkle over the remaining third of the cherries and poke them just under the surface with a teaspoon. Bake the cake near the centre of the oven for 50 minutes, then cover with foil and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes, or until the centre is springy to touch. Cool the cake in the tin for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight tin.