My Favourite Cakes
The original recipe of this cake said “wash the cherries thoroughly and dry them with a kitchen towel”. I have baked very many cakes with gláce cherries, but I never washed them. The first cherry cake I made in this blog was the “Cherry Coconut Cake”. it turned out perfect with the cherries evenly spread in the cake. I have made several others for example the, Apricot Cherry Loaf with Orange and it was perfect too.
For this recipe, I was curious, so I decided to wash the cherries as instructed but in the end I wasn’t very happy with the result because the cherries sunk to the lower half of the cake. The cake tasted very nice but I would have liked the cherries evenly distributed. Have you ever washed gláce cherries before baking? What happened to the cake? Please share with me your experience in baking with cherries.
Please note that I shall be taking some time off the blog to attend to some pressing issues. I shall continue posting automatically via the dashboard but will only respond to your messages from 15 May 2014. Meanwhile, I want to thank you in advance, for liking my post(s) or leaving a message. I wish you a happy blogging and the best of times!
Cherry Genoa Cake
Preparation time: 20 minutes; Baking time: 60-75 minutes; Makes: 7-inch (18cm) round cake
Original Recipe from Womans Own Cakes and Bakes
Ingredients
- 200g (7oz, 1½ cups) all-purpose (plain) flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 175g (6oz, 1½ sticks, 11½ tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 175g (6oz, 1 scant cup) sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 25g (1oz) ground almonds
- 175g (6oz) glacé cherries chopped
- 30ml (2 tablespoons) tepid water
- 1 tablespoon icing (confectioners) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, Gas 4). Line the base and sides of an 18cm (7inch) pan (tin) with double parchment (greaseproof paper). Stir 1 tablespoon flour into the cherries and toss well, until the cherries are completely coated. Set aside. Sift the flour and baking powder and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, adding 1 tablespoon of the sifted flour after each addition.
- Using a metal spoon or spatula, fold in the remaining flour in two batches, then fold in the ground almonds and the chopped cherries, and mix lightly to distribute the cherries evenly. If the batter is a bit thick, add two tablespoons of the tepid water to it a dropping consistency.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan then level the top and make a slight hollow in the centre to allow for the cake to rise. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1-1¼ hours or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes and then transfer to the cooling rack . When cold, sieve the icing sugar over the top of the cake, decorate with some cherries and serve.
- For cup measures: spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. I use a 240ml, American cup.
Points to Note:
- Please note that oven temperatures are given as a guideline only. You may need to add or reduce the suggested temperature depending on your oven. I baked the cake at 300°F (150°C) for 50 minutes and then increased the temperature to 350°F (175°C) in the last 25 minutes (total 75 minutes).
- Last updated: 13 August 2019
myfavouritepastime.com
Step By Step Photos
Please always remember to assemble ingredients before you start
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, Gas 4). Line the base and sides of an 18cm (7inch) pan (tin) with double parchment (greaseproof paper). Stir 1 tablespoon flour into the cherries and toss well, until the cherries are completely coated. Set aside. Sift the flour and baking powder and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, adding 1 tablespoon of the sifted flour after each addition.
Using a metal spoon or spatula, fold in the remaining flour in two batches.
The mixture after folding in all the flour.
Fold in the ground almonds and the chopped cherries and mix lightly to distribute the cherries evenly. If the batter is a bit thick, add two tablespoons of the tepid water to give the mixture a dropping consistency.
The final mixture
Spoon into prepared tin and smooth over the top. Make a slight hollow in the centre of the mixture to allow for the cake to rise.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1-1¼ hours or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes
and then transfer to the cooling rack to cool.
When cold sieve the icing sugar over the top of the cake, decorate with some cherries and serve.
Serve the cake with tea? Coffee?
For dessert with custard or cream?
The cake? It tasted ultra delicious
myfavouritepastime.com
My Favourite Pastime 
To solve cherries from sinking to the bottom of the cake. After washing cherries gently pat them dry with kitchen paper and roll them in a,light dusting of flour, this should prevent fruit sinking. Hope this helps.
Thank you, Jaci. I have a huge tub of cherries in my fridge and was thinking of a nice cherry cake for tea over the weekend. I shall try your method. Thanks for suggesting and do have a pleasant day!
This is so mouth-watering, Liz!
The presentation is also so beautiful, with such a cute teapot! 😀
Hi Hari,
how’s life my friend. I wish I could give you a slice of this beautiful cake! Thanks for popping by. I know you’re probably in dreamland by now. Have a great week ahead!
Liz
That looks amazing. I thought the stage where you stir the cherries with a little flour should stop them sinking??
No it didn’t. The secret? never wash the cherries. Just use them as they are! Have a great weekend!
Liz
What a glorious cake, Liz! I love cherries; can’t wait for the cherry season (almost here).
This cake must be a dreamy one; I can see it from here 😉
Un beso!
PS I don’t know if there’s any problem with my comments as my last two are still awaiting moderation. I so, please tell me, ok?
Thank you, Rosa.There is no problem with comments I indicated in my post that I shall be away and will not be responding to messages until I come back. Now, I’m back. I wish you a pleasant weekend! Best wishes!
Liz
Oh, I didn’t notice that, shame on me. So sorry…
I’m glad to got them 🙂
Un beso
Thanks. Enjoy your Sunday!!!
Liz
The cake looks delicious even though the cherries sunk to the bottom. 🙂
Thanks. It tasted very nice. Have a wonderful weekend!
Liz
Now you are talking Liz. What a delicious looking cake so delicately created by your craftswoman’s hands. None for me then 😦 Ralph xox ❤
Hey Ralph what happened to that huge slice I left outside your door? Did your cats eat it? Have a great weekend!
Liz
Oh. It was from you Liz. Thank you. It was very tasty. I thought it was from Help The Silly Old Englishman In Spain charity. Not a lot of difference then 😉 ❤
mm at least you found it. Enjoy Sunday and best wishes!
Liz
I’ve never washed glace cherries – am curious as to why the recipe suggested it! I do however always roll them in flour first which I heard was supposed to stop them sinking.
Hi,
I never washed, never rolled and it was always okay, so no washing ever for me again! have a wonderful weekend!
Liz
The cake looks very moist and pretty. My oldest son would love this! Best wishes to you for your time off, Liz.
Thanks so much. I am back to blogging but feeling rather lazy. It will take time to settle back to normal routine! Have a wonderful weekend!
Liz
This looks so delicious and so, so pretty… I’m wondering too, why the cherries are supposed to be washed, and will be interested to hear what others have to say about it. At least you know now that washing them makes them sink to the bottom… which….I should add does not distract from the beauty of this cake. It’s lovely, and I’d be thrilled to serve it to my most honored guests with or without sunken cherries!! Lovely cake… wonderful recipe! 🙂
Hi,
Thanks os much for your kind comments and compliments the cake tasted ultra delicious. I enjoyed eating ti. Have a wonderful weekend!
Liz
Looks really good! Just a tip so that your cherries so that your cherries don’t sink to the bottom is to wash off the sticky glaze and dry them before coating them in a little flour!
I learnt that from my aunt and you there is no difference in the sweetness of the cherries either as they are still sweet inside! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
http://fromayoungfoodie.wordpress.com
I always use them sticky and they never sunk to the bottom, this time I washed, dried and floured and they sunk! so no more washing for me. Have a great weekend!
Liz
Hmm, that’s strange? It has never happened with me before! I usually chop mine before I bake them so that might be it as opposed to just washing them! Baking is such a science- you have to experiment before you get the right formula! Sorry that they sank and I also hope that you enjoyed your weekend- I really appreciate you checking about my blog! 🙂
http://fromayoungfoodie.wordpress.com
No problem, Sarah. Enjoy your Sunday and hope to see you more often. Best wishes!
Liz
Gorgeous cake!
Thanks!
Liz
This looks delicious! I have definitely never heard of washing the cherries, that is an unusual one.
Same to me! It’s the worst instruction I ever followed!
Liz
Gorgeous cake and welcome back 🙂
Thank you, Sonal. Have a great weekend!
Liz
Hey lovely crumbly moist cake. Perfect. But like u said it would have been better if the cherries were distributed evenly. How about mixing the cherries in the flour before adding to the batter? With chocolate chips we do that rite for it not to sink to the bottom. Im not sure if it will work with cherries too.
Hi Sadia,
I think it’s the washing that made them sunk. I’ve made several cherry cakes before and they were absolutely okay. Thanks and have a nice weekend!
Liz