A soft cherry and almond loaf cake made with juicy cherries, ground almonds and vanilla. Perfect for summer baking, afternoon tea and using fresh seasonal cherries.
Cherry and Almond Loaf Cake
- Total Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
There is something about cherry and almond that feels wonderfully old fashioned in the best possible way.
The trouble is, fresh cherries have a habit of disappearing before they ever make it into a cake. I buy them with the very best intentions and then somehow half the punnet vanishes while I am standing in the kitchen.
For this loaf cake I actually used frozen cherries. They are easy to keep in the freezer and mean you can make this cake at any time of year rather than waiting for cherry season. Simply defrost them first and pat away any excess moisture with kitchen paper. Fresh cherries work beautifully too, and if you are feeling nostalgic, glacé cherries can also be used.
Cherry and almond is one of those combinations that simply works. The sweetness of the cherries, the gentle nuttiness of the almonds and a little vanilla all come together beautifully.
I also like loaf cakes because they feel wonderfully unfussy. No layers. No buttercream. No worrying whether everything is perfectly level. Easy to slice and share, that is, if you want to.
Just a simple cake that slices beautifully and goes very well with a cup of tea.
This is the sort of bake I like to make on a Sunday afternoon when the weather cannot quite decide what it is doing. The kitchen smells wonderful and there is usually a warm slice sampled long before the cake has fully cooled.
The wonderful addition of Greek yoghurt means that the cake stays soft, if you place in an airtight sealed container.
Ingredients
- 175 g butter, softened
- 175 g golden caster sugar
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 150 g self raising flour
- 100 g ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
- 275 g frozen cherries, defrosted and excess moisture removed with kitchen paper
- Alternatively use 275 g fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- Or 225 g glacé cherries, rinsed, dried and halved
- 25 g flaked almonds
- 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan.
Grease and line a 900 g loaf tin.
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Mix in the vanilla extract, almond extract and Greek yoghurt.
Fold in the self raising flour, ground almonds and baking powder until combined.
Fold all of the cherries into the cake batter.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and level the surface.
Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and demerara sugar.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Frozen cherries work brilliantly in this recipe and allow you to make it all year round.
- Be sure to defrost them fully and remove excess moisture with kitchen paper before adding to the cake.
- Fresh cherries can be used when in season.
- Glacé cherries create a more traditional tea loaf style bake and are a lovely alternative.
- The Greek yoghurt helps keep the cake moist for several days!
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 1 Hour
- Category: Baking
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: British
Can I use frozen cherries?
Yes. Defrost them fully and drain away any excess liquid before adding them to the cake mixture.
Why add ground almonds to a loaf cake?
Ground almonds help create a softer texture and add flavour that pairs beautifully with cherries.
Can I freeze cherry and almond loaf cake?
Yes. Freeze whole or in slices for up to 3 months.
What is the best way to stop cherries sinking?
Toss the cherries in a teaspoon of flour before folding them into the batter.