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Cherry crumble cake

By: John Whaite

Published: 23 Aug 19
Updated: 18 Mar 24

This is John Whaite‘s version of a classic cherry and almond cake. He says: “I always use those dark cherries soaked in kirsch – their flavour is intense and boozy. When I drain the cherries I reserve the syrup to add a sweet kick to my coffees.

The crumble topping adds another almond dimension in the form of crunchy amaretti and flaked nuts. This is best served with a dollop of tangy crème fraîche.”

Easy
September 2019

Test kitchen approved

Serves 8-10
Hands-on time 30 min, oven time 45-55 min

The crumble topping adds another almond dimension in the form of crunchy amaretti and flaked nuts. This is best served with a dollop of tangy crème fraîche.”

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 533
Fat: 30.2g (sat fat 16.4g)
Protein: 7.5g
Carbohydrates: 56.7g (sugar 31.5g)
Fibre: 2.1g
Salt: 0.7g

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Ingredients

For the cake

175g unsalted butter, softened
175g light brown muscovado sugar
1 tsp almond extract
Finely grated zest 1 unwaxed lemon
2 large free-range eggs
100g soured cream
175g self-raising flour
½ tsp fine sea salt

For the crumble

150g self-raising flour
100g cold unsalted butter, cubed
75g light brown muscovado sugar
75g amaretti biscuits, crushed
40g flaked almonds

For the cherry layer

250g (drained weight) cherries soaked in kirsch

You’ll also need

23cm round, loose-bottomed cake tin, greased and base-lined with non-stick baking paper

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Method

Heat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas 4. For the cake, cream the butter, sugar, almond extract and lemon zest until lighter in texture and paler in colour. Add the eggs and soured cream and beat until smooth – don’t worry if it looks like it’s curdled – then add the flour and salt and gently mix together with a large metal spoon until you have a smooth batter. Scrape the batter into the cake tin and level off.
For the crumble, rub together the flour and butter until you have a breadcrumb consistency, then add the sugar, biscuits and almonds and toss to mix.
Scatter the cherries over the cake batter, as evenly as possible, then cover with the crumble topping mixture.

Bake the cake in the oven for 45-55 minutes (cover with tin foil if browning too quickly) or until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean (apart from the red juice of the cherries). Leave to cool completely, then transfer from the tin to a cake stand or plate to serve.

Taken from Comfort by John Whaite, £19.99, published by Kyle Books. Photograph by Nassima Rothacker.