This almond cherry cake took me by surprise. I am adapting the ingredients from another recipe substituting: butter with coconut oil, white sugar with coconut sugar, almond extract with cherry-liquor extract, lemon zest with lime zest and adding plenty of almond flour. The result is sensational! Even while mixing the batter I could smell the intoxicating aromas. The coconut oil and sugar give a particular caramel flavour to the cake.
As a result we have an ultra-tender crumb, with just the right balance of sweetness. The cherries turn into soft, yummy goodness. The cake has a nice texture thanks in part to almond flour. You may always dust powder sugar on top for a more glamorous finish, but for me it is really not necessary!
I am taking a bite, while the cake is still warm and my heart is full of gladness!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cherries, halved and pitted
- 150 ml coconut oil, melted (or 150g butter – not melted)
- 150g coconut sugar
- Zest from one lime
- 8g vanilla sugar
- ½ tsp cherry-liquor extract, optional
- 2 eggs
- 110g flour
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the melted coconut oil (it should be warm to touch) and sugar. Using a whisk, beat the mixture until the sugar is smooth and the ingredients come together, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the lemon zest, vanilla sugar and cherry-liquor extract to the coconut oil mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, and whisk for about 5 minutes. Add the white flour, the almond flower, baking powder and salt. Fold the halved cherries into the batter.
4. Grease a 20cm cake tin and lay baking paper on the bottom. Add the batter and even on top. Bake the cake for 45 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the top is golden and springs back when gentle pressure is applied.
5. Cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cake from the tin. Cool completely on a cooling rack or eat warm straight away.
