Cherry Bakewell Cake ~ Sweet & Simple Bakes.

My apologies that it has been a while since my last post. It wasn’t my intention to leave such a huge gap in blogging but regrettably I have been ill with gastric influenza. I’m still not on top form but I didn’t want to disappoint S&SB bakers with this month’s bake and round-up at Sweet and Simple Bakes.

Many thanks to everyone for all your kind words on my new blog and it really is lovely to *see* you here! ♥♥

Now without further ado let’s go onto this month’s bake for Sweet and Simple Bakes --------->

Time has come again to show case our monthly bake over at Sweet and Simple Bakes. This month it was my turn to post a recipe and I thought a Poll again would be a good fun way of choosing this month’s bake of Cherry Bakewell Cake. If you adore Bakewell Tart then you’re really going to love this cake with its moist and feather-light sponge and almond/ morello cherry flavour running through. It’s an easy all-in-one recipe for the sponge cake and a topping of icing with scattered flaked toasted almonds. I couldn’t resist myself and added a few glacé cherries to finish the decoration off.

Please do call by Sweet and Simple Bakes and view the round-up of our other bakers; also if you fancy joining in our monthly bake, we would be most delighted to have you bake with us!

Cherry Bakewell Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients
For The Cake
200g (8oz butter), well softened, + extra for greasing
200g (8oz) caster sugar
100g (4 oz) ground almonds
100g (4 oz) self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon almond extract or essence
4 large eggs
Pinch of salt
For The Filling & Top
½ a 340g (approx 12 oz) jar of morello cherry conserve/jam
175g (6 oz) icing sugar
5-6 teaspoons water or lemon juice
1 tablespoon flaked almonds, lightly toasted

2 x 20cm (8 in) round sandwich tins, greased with butter and base lined with baking paper.

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/fan160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Using electric beaters, beat together all the cake ingredients until smooth. Divide the batter equally between tins and level the tops with a spatula. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and springy to the touch or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. *Do not open the oven door until 25 minutes of baking to check the cake*. Place the tins onto a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before turning out to fully cool. 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 conserve/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 toasted flaked almonds on the icing and leave to set for a few minutes before cutting.

*Notes*

*This is an easy all in one method for making a sponge cake*. *Please make sure your butter is fully softened before you start*.

*If you find morello cherry conserve/jam difficult to source, substitute with raspberry conserve/jam, it will be just as delicious*!

*To toast flaked almonds ~ place a single layer in a dry for toasting. With the frying pan over medium-high heat, stir or shake the nuts continually for 3 to 5 minutes or until they start to turn golden. Remove them from the cooking pan as soon as they're done*.


* A few glacé cherries placed on top of the icing additionally with the flaked toasted almonds would also be a lovely *.


Lastly enjoy a slice with a steaming cuppa!