Cherry & almond cake.

You know what's embarrassing? You're at the supermarket buying toilet paper. You reach up to grab a pack off the top shelf. They're precariously stacked on the shelf, and as you pull your packet down, all the packages of toilet paper fall off the shelf and onto your head.

You know what isn't embarrassing? Making a perfect cake. So perfect that people ask you for the recipe. And after my last cake debacle, I needed to bake something that made me feel better about my skillz.

This cake definitely did that. It was dotted with cherries and perfectly risen. Dusted with icing sugar, it was the perfect dessert to share with family. You could probably sub something in for the cherries if you can't find these, like some nice seasonal berry (they're not in season here. Yet.). I think a splash of almond extract would bring out the flavour of the almond meal, but it isn't necessary, because the cake is perfect. Just as it is.



Cherry & almond cake:

Slightly adapted from 'Sweet Food'

125g unsalted butter, at room temp

185g sugar

2 eggs

95g (1 cup) almond meal

185g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1 jar (680g) morello cherries

Drain the cherries in a colander/sieve (reserve the juice for yummy drinks later).

Preheat the oven to 180C, and grease a 20cm fluted tin.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Stir in the almond meal.

Fold in half the flour and baking powder, then all the milk, the remaining flour/baking powder.

Gently fold in the cherries.

Scrape the mix into the prepared tin.

Bake for 45-50 mins, until cake tester comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the pan for 10 mins, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust with icing sugar to serve.