Cherry Almond Cake

I've baked a lot....I mean A LOT of cakes in my time but this recipe is one of my very favorites, so much so that I even made it one of the layers of my wedding cake a few years ago. PERFECT compliment to a cup of hot herbal tea on a chilly night this cake is also very versatile.

Cherry Almond Cake is a traditional English teacake option so of course I scoured the web for a good old fashioned recipe. This recipe is made in the style of a chiffon cake and relies on beaten egg whites to give it height rather than baking powder. Makes wonderful cupcakes. Substitute the almonds and extract for vanilla and a 1/2 cup of mashed banannas for a twist.

Here's what I found (converted from metric! talk about authentic!).

Cherry Almond Cake

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (feel free to substitute cake flour for a finer texture)
1 cup sugar
1 cup margarine (I usually substitute for butter, up to you)
3/4 cup quartered fresh cherries of your own choosing (I like black or renier)
1/4 cup ground almonds (grind almonds in food processor or put in a ziplock and pound with mallet or rolling pin)
1 tsp Almond extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup of milk

Cream margarine/butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg yolks, beat well. Add flour, milk, cherries, almonds, and almond extract. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, fold into mixture.

Gently fold batter into a greased and floured (or lined) 7" cake pan. Bake for 1 hour 15 mins at 320F.

*Picture coming soon! Be patient!