Cherry cake
Cherry cake is a classic British bake. Based on a Madeira loaf cake with added cherries this cherry loaf cake uses store cupboard ingredients and is so easy to bake making it the perfect treat to go with an afternoon tea.
Cherry cake is a delicious loaf cake which is perfect for any afternoon tea or coffee morning.
The recipe is based on our classic Madeira cake with added glacé cherries. Its a gently flavoured, moist loaf made with store cupboard ingredients (but no actual Madeira)! It uses our tried and tested recipe which is really easy making it the perfect bake for kids to try and a great addition to any afternoon tea.
How can kids help make the cherry cake?
This cherry cake is a great bake for kids. It’s based on our delicious Madeira cake which is really simple to make and uses mostly store cupboard ingredients.
It’s an easy recipe but that doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of steps kids can get involved in. Kids of all ages will be able to help measure out all the ingredients and mix them together.
The recipe includes a few eggs so your kids will be able to practice their egg cracking – an important skill for any young baker.
If your kids are old enough, they can also help to cut up the glacé cherries before adding them to the batter.
How do you store the cherry cake?
A cherry cake is at its best on the day it’s made but will keep at room temperature in an air tight container for a few days.
If you want to keep it for longer, it will freeze for up to three months. To freeze it, wrap it well in cling film and pop it in a freezer bag. Make sure you defrost it fully before you serve it.
How do you stop the cherries from sinking?
You can’t always stop the cherries from sinking a little bit into the cake, but there are few things you can try that should help.
Before you add the cherries, rinse them in water to remove the syrup as it makes them heavier and more likely to sink.
You can also cut them into smaller pieces (half or quarter them) and coat them in flour before adding them to your batter.
They might still sink a bit, but even if they do, the cherry cake will still taste nice!
What can I use if I don’t have any self raising flour?
You should be able to find self raising flour in the supermarket in the UK. If you don’t have any though, you can swap it for an equal amount of plain or all purpose flour and add 1 ½ tea spoons of baking powder.
What can I use instead of golden caster sugar?
If you don’t have any caster sugar you can swap it for an equal amount of regular caster sugar.
What size is a 2lb loaf tin?
The actual dimensions of a 2lb or 900g loaf tin will vary slightly depending on the brand of tin, but they are generally about 24cm x 14cm x 6.5cm (9.5 x 5.5 2.5 inches). If you want to check the size of your tin, but don’t have a ruler you can fill it with water then pour the water into a measuring jug. A 2lb tin should hold at least 1.2 litres.
If you only have smaller tins, for this recipe, you’re best to fill each tin with half the mixture and adjust the baking time down.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Please refer to my Privacy Policy Page for more details.
Can I make this in a cake tin rather than a loaf tin?
Of course! If you want to make a 8 inch round cake, double the recipe and shorten the baking time to approximately 25-30 minutes.
Similar recipes
If you liked this cherry cake you might also want to try one of these delicious classic bakes:
Ginger loaf cake
Treacle sponge
Lemon and blueberry loaf
Fruit loaf
Lemon drizzle cake
Carrot cake
Lemon meringue pie
Raisin biscuits
Tea loaf
Cornflake tart
Vanilla traybake / school cake
Tottenham cake
Marble loaf cake
Or if you like cherries try these delicious cherry bakes:
Cherry scones
Cherry chocolate muffins
Black forest cupcakes
Melting moments
Cherry muffins
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this cherry cake
Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
2 lb loaf tin
Wire rack
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Please refer to my Privacy Policy Page for more details.
Ingredients
175g butter / baking margarine
175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g self raising flour
50g ground almonds
2 – 3 tablespoons whole milk
150 – 200g glacé cherries
1 Tablespoon self raising flour
- If you don’t have self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount of plain/all-purpose flour and add 1 additional teaspoon of baking powder.
How to make a cherry cake
Preheat your oven to 170C / 150C Fan / 340F then grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking or parchment paper.
I generally find it easiest to add a strip of baking paper the width of our tin in one direction before adding another strip going the other way. Leave some paper overhanging the edge of the tin to make it easier to remove the loaf once it’s finished baking.
We also always grease the tin before adding baking paper. It’ll help prevent anything sticking to your tin, but also holds the baking paper in place when you add the cake batter.
Cream the butter and sugar together
Get your kids to measure out the butter and sugar and add them to a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. The butter needs to be soft enough that it will mix in easily. If yours isn’t cut it into a few pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it, but not long enough for it to melt.
Beat the butter and sugar together using the k-paddle of your mixer, an electric hand-held mixer or even wooden spoons. Do this for a few minutes until it’s light and fluffy.
Add the eggs
Before you add the eggs, get your kids to crack them into a small bowl one at a time. We never add eggs straight in, just in case any shell goes in. When or if it does simply fish it out with a larger piece of shell or a teaspoon. It will stick to that better than it will your finger.
Add the eggs, one at a time, to your mixing bowl mixing them in in-between each addition. Your batter will be quite sloppy at this point.
Add the vanilla extract
Get your kids to add the vanilla extract. If you have young children you might need to hold the measuring spoon steady while they pour in the vanilla or vice versa.
Add the flour and almonds
Measure out the flour and add it to your mixing bowl.
Add the ground almonds then gently stir it in with a spoon or spatula until it has just combined.Try not to over mix it.
If you find the batter too thick at this point, add 2-3 tablespoons of milk. You want the cake batter to be runny enough to fall of your spatula or beater.
Add the cherries
Get your kids to measure out the glacé cherries then wash them. The easiest way to do this is probably to pop them in colander and rinse them in water until they don’t feel as sticky.
Cut the cherries in half or quarters if you want slightly smaller chunks in your cake.
Pop the cherries in a bowl and add the tablespoon of flour. Stir the flour through until the cherries are coated in it.
Add the cherries to the cake batter and stir them through so they are well distributed.
Bake the cherry cake
Get your kids to spoon or pour the cherry cake batter into your prepared loaf tin and spread it into each corner with a spatula, a small offset palette knife or even the back of a spoon.
Bake the cherry loaf cake for 50-60 minutes It’s ready when a or sharp knife, skewer or cocktail stick inserted into the middle comes out clean. If it still has some wet cake batter sticking to it, pop it back in the oven for a little more time.
If the top of the loaf is browning too much before it is ready, loosely cover it in foil for the last 10 minutes or so while the middle finishes baking.
Remove the cherry cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes.
Then turn it out and leave it on a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve and enjoy.
Cherry cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add a strip of baking paper the width of the tin in one direction before adding another strip going the other way. Leave some paper overhanging the edge of the tin to make it easier to remove the loaf once it's finished baking.
- Measure out the butter and sugar and add them to a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. The butter needs to be soft enough that it will mix in easily. If yours isn't cut it into a few pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it, but not long enough for it to melt.Beat the butter and sugar together using the k-paddle of your mixer, an electric hand-held mixer or even wooden spoons. Do this for a few minutes until it's light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, to your mixing bowl mixing them in in-between each addition. Your batter will be quite sloppy at this point.Add the vanilla extract.
- Measure out the flour and the ground almonds and add them to your mixing bowl. Gently stir them in with a spatula or wooden spoon until they have just combined. Try not to over mix it.If you find the batter too thick at this point, add 2-3 tablespoons of milk. You want the cake batter to be runny enough to fall of your spatula or beater.
- Measure out the glacé cherries then wash the syrup off them. Cut the cherries in half or quarters if you want slightly smaller chunks in your cake.Pop the cherries in a bowl and add the tablespoon of flour. Stir the flour through until the cherries are coated in it.Add the cherries to the cake batter and stir them through so they are well distributed.
- Spoon or pour the cherry cake batter into your prepared loaf tin and spread it into each corner with a spatula, a small offset palette knife or even the back of a spoon.Bake the cherry loaf cake for 50-60 minutes It's ready when a or sharp knife, skewer or cocktail stick inserted into the middle comes out clean. If it still has some wet cake batter sticking to it, pop it back in the oven for a little more time.If the top of the loaf is browning too much before it is ready, loosely cover it in foil for the last 10 minutes or so while the middle finishes baking.
- Remove the cherry cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then turn it out and leave it on a wire rack to cool completely .
Notes
Pin it for later
Similar recipes
If you liked this cherry loaf you’ll love our other loaf cakes as well as our favourite easy bakes for kids.