Here’s a cake that sits comfortably between being an everyday tasty treat and a special occasion showstopper. It’s light even though packed with cherries, nuts and chocolate, with a filling that’s smooth and “moreish”. As you’ll see below it can easily be an equally tasty gluten free cake if that’s what you want.

Makes: 1 Cake – about 12 slices

Level: Fairly easy

Time: 40 – 45 min to prep, 40 – 45 min to bake, 30 – 35 min to fill and decorate.

Need: 2 x 20cm/8” round baking tins (spring form or loose bottomed), 2 x “bake-easy bands” (optional) plus normal other stuff: bowls, wooden spoon etc.

Cake Ingredients

225g/8oz S.R. Gluten free Flour (or regular SR flour)
1 tsp xanthan gum powder (omit if not going GF)
1¼ tsp baking powder
50g/2oz ground almonds
200g/7oz unsalted butter
200g/7oz caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
50g/2oz flaked almonds
Up to 150g/6oz of glace cherries, rinsed and quartered
100g/4oz chocolate chips

For the filling & Topping

350g/12oz full fat cream cheese or Mascarpone
200g/7oz icing sugar
150ml/6oz double cream (heavy cream)
some cherry jam
some almonds

Prep:

Grease and line the tins + add wetted bake even bands (if using), lightly dust inside tins with flour .

Turn oven on to heat to 170°C / fan 150°C / 325°F / Gas 3.

Instructions:

1. Sieve the flour, xanthan gum powder (if using) and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix lightly. Stir in the ground almonds. Set aside.

2. Beat the butter on its own for a few minutes, then add the sugar and continue beating until it’s light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, while beating. (Add small amounts of the weighed flour along the way to avoid curdling)

3. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, then add in the flour/ground almond mixture in 2 – 3 stages. Fold in until fully mixed. Stir in the flaked almonds, cherries and chocolate.

4. Spoon the mixture equally into the two prepared tins. Level the surfaces and bake for around 35 – 40 min. Cool for 10 min in the tins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

5. For the filling and topping. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth. Sieve in the icing sugar and beat well. Add the cream and continue beating until a suitable consistency is achieved.

6. Put a coating of cherry jam on one sponge then add about half or two thirds of the cream mixture. Put the other cake on top then decorate the top with the remaining cream. Add cherry halves and/or almonds to decorate.

I hope you enjoy this lovely cake. If you want more cake recipes click this link, or have a look at my site for lots of other great recipes, both sweet and savoury. Below are a few that I’d love you to try:

Adaptable Chocolate Cake