Delia Smith Cherry Cake​ Recipe

This easy delia smith cherry cake is made with sweet glacé cherries, ground almonds, golden caster sugar, butter, and a hint of almond extract. This recipe creates a wonderfully moist, buttery, and almond-flavored cake. It’s the perfect treat for afternoon tea, a classic for any season, and makes one 18cm round cake.

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Delia Smith Cherry Cake Ingredients

• 200g glacé cherries
• 175g block butter, at room temperature
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, whisked lightly
• 175g plain flour
• ½ level teaspoon baking powder
• 75g ground almonds
• A few drops almond extract
• 1 dessertspoon milk
• Equipment: An 18cm round cake tin, buttered and with base and sides lined.

How To Make Delia Smith Cherry Cake

1. Preheat and prep: Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4). Thoroughly butter an 18cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
2. Prepare the cherries: If the glacé cherries are in syrup, pat them dry with kitchen paper. Slice each cherry into four pieces.
3. Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and golden caster sugar together until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs: Gradually add the lightly whisked eggs, beating them in a little at a time. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a tablespoon of the flour.
5. Sift dry ingredients: Sift the plain flour and baking powder together into a separate bowl.
6. Fold in the flour: Carefully fold the sifted flour and baking powder mixture into the creamed butter and sugar using a large metal spoon.
7. Add almonds and cherries: Toss two-thirds of the sliced cherries with the ground almonds. Gently fold this cherry and almond mixture into the cake batter.
8. Add flavorings: Stir in one or two drops of almond extract and the dessertspoon of milk.
9. Fill the tin: Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Use the back of a spoon to level off the top.
10. Top with remaining cherries: Sprinkle the last one-third of the cherries over the top. Use a teaspoon to gently poke them just under the surface.
11. Bake the cake: Bake the cake near the center of the oven for 50 minutes.
12. Cover and finish baking: After 50 minutes, cover the top of the cake with a piece of foil to stop it from browning too much. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.
13. Check for doneness: The cake is ready when the center is springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
14. Cool the cake: Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips

• Toss Cherries in Almonds: Tossing the cherries in the ground almonds is a crucial step. This light coating helps “grip” the batter, which stops all the fruit from sinking to the bottom.
• Add Eggs Slowly: Beating the eggs in gradually helps them mix properly with the butter and sugar. If you add them all at once, the mixture can “curdle” or look split.
• Use a Metal Spoon for Folding: A large, metal spoon is best for folding. It cuts through the batter and folds the flour in without knocking out the air you beat into the butter and sugar, keeping the cake light.
• The Foil Cover is Key: The ground almonds and sugar make the top of this cake brown quickly. Covering it with foil for the last 10 minutes lets the inside finish cooking without the top burning.

What To Serve Cherry Cake

This classic cherry and almond cake is delicious all on its own. It’s the perfect companion for a simple cup of hot tea or a milky coffee. For a more indulgent dessert, serve a slice slightly warm with a spoonful of clotted cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

How To Store Cherry Cake Leftovers

• Room Temperature: Store the cooled cake in an airtight tin at room temperature. It will stay fresh and moist for 3-4 days.
• Freeze: This cake freezes very well. Once it has cooled completely, wrap the whole cake or individual slices in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature before serving.

Delia Smith Cherry Cake Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 386 kcal
• Total Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 85mg
• Sodium: 150mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 45g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 30g
• Protein: 6g

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why did all my cherries sink to the bottom? This is a common problem! This recipe has two tricks to prevent it. First, you must pat the cherries dry if they are syrupy. Second, tossing them in the ground almonds gives them a dry coating that helps them “grip” the batter and stay suspended.
• Can I use fresh or frozen cherries? This recipe is designed for glacé (candied) cherries. Fresh or frozen cherries have a lot of water, which would make the cake batter soggy and change the texture. It is best to stick with glacé cherries for this classic recipe.
• What is golden caster sugar? It’s a fine-grained sugar that is unrefined, so it has a light, pale color and a slightly buttery, caramel flavor. If you can’t find it, you can use regular white caster sugar as a direct substitute.
• My batter curdled when I added the eggs. Is it ruined? Not at all! This happens if the eggs are added too quickly or are too cold. An easy fix is to add a tablespoon of your sifted flour and mix it in. This will help bring the batter back together.

Try More Recipes:

• Delia Smith Carrot Cake​ Recipe
• Delia Smith Apple Pie​ Recipe
• Delia Smith Brandy Butter​ Recipe