This is such a great cake because it’s so versatile, allowing you to incorporate your favourite fruits year-round. Besides cherries, it also pairs beautifully with raspberries, damsons and apples, for instance. The process of making it is incredibly simple, too, with an end result that boasts a delightful, fluffy texture. It’s also one of those cakes that fits seamlessly into either a brunch or an afternoon tea spread.
Cherry muffin cake
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr
Serves 6-8
200g golden caster sugar
220g plain flour
10g baking powder
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
2 medium eggs, beaten
200g Greek yoghurt
100g melted butter
¼ tsp almond extract
200g fresh or tinned cherries, pitted or strained
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and whisk the wet ones in a separate bowl, leaving the cherries to one side for now.
Add the wet mix to the dry, stir to combine, then fold through the cherries.
Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 50 minutes, until it has risen and is golden, and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool, then turn out, slice and serve.