medshi8 This moist, almond-infused Mary Berry Cherry Cake is made with plump glacé cherries, ground almonds, and a zest of lemon, ready in just over an hour. Slicing into the golden sponge reveals the true success of this bake: bright red cherries suspended evenly throughout, rather than sunk to the bottom. I love serving this classic British treat for afternoon tea, where the lemon icing adds the perfect sharp finish.
The Secret To Getting It Right
I learned the hard way that the biggest challenge with cherry cake is gravity. In my first attempt, I simply threw the cherries into a standard sponge batter, only to find a layer of sticky red fruit glued to the base of the tin after baking. It still tasted fine, but it lacked that signature speckled look that makes this bake so special.
The trick, as I discovered from Mary Berry’s method, is twofold: drying the fruit thoroughly and using a slightly stiffer batter. By washing the syrup off the cherries and coating them in flour, you give them grip, while the addition of ground almonds and a higher ratio of flour to sugar ensures the mixture is thick enough to hold them in place as the cake rises.
Mary Berry Cherry Cake Ingredients
- 200g glacé cherries
- 225g self-raising flour
- 175g softened butter
- 175g caster sugar
- 50g ground almonds
- 3 large eggs
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
For the Icing and Decoration:
- 175g icing sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 15g flaked almonds, toasted
- A few reserved cherries, quartered
How To Make Mary Berry Cherry Cake
- Prep the Cherries: Cut the cherries into quarters. Place them in a sieve and rinse under warm water to remove the sticky syrup. Dry them thoroughly with kitchen paper and toss them in 2 tablespoons of the flour (taken from your weighed 225g).
- Cream the Mixture: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan/Gas 4) and grease a deep 20cm (8in) round cake tin. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with the last egg to prevent curdling.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: Gently fold in the remaining flour, ground almonds, and lemon zest. The mixture should be quite thick and stiff compared to a standard sponge.
- Fold in Fruit: Carefully fold in the flour-coated cherries, ensuring they are evenly distributed without overworking the batter.
- Bake: Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 35–40 minutes (check at 35; it may need up to 50 minutes depending on your oven). A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
- Cool and Decorate: Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Once completely cold, mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to form a thick pouring consistency. Drizzle over the cake and scatter with toasted flaked almonds and reserved cherries.
Recipe Tips
- Dry the cherries completely: If the cherries are wet, the flour coating turns to paste and they will slide to the bottom. Use plenty of kitchen paper to get them bone dry before tossing in flour.
- Don’t overmix: Once the flour is added, fold gently. Overworking the gluten will make the cake tough rather than light and crumbly.
- Check your oven temp: This cake is dense due to the ground almonds. If it browns too quickly, cover the top loosely with foil after 30 minutes to ensure the middle cooks without burning the top.
What To Serve With Mary Berry Cherry Cake
This cake is best enjoyed with a classic pot of Earl Grey tea, as the bergamot notes complement the lemon zest in the sponge beautifully. For a dessert option, a dollop of crème fraîche cuts through the sweetness of the icing and glacé cherries.
How To Store
Store the cake in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 3 days; the ground almonds help keep it moist. It also freezes well without the icing—wrap the sponge tightly in cling film and foil, then freeze for up to one month.
FAQs
- Why did my cherries sink? Usually, this happens because the batter was too runny or the cherries were still heavy with syrup. Ensure you use the exact flour ratio and wash/dry the fruit well.
- Can I use fresh cherries? Fresh cherries release too much juice during baking, which can make the batter soggy. Glacé cherries are best for this specific traditional recipe.
- Can I make this in a loaf tin? Yes, this quantity fits a 2lb loaf tin perfectly, though you may need to adjust the baking time to around 55–60 minutes.
Nutrition
- Calories: 395 kcal
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
- Sodium: 310mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 46g
- Protein: 6g
Try More Recipes:
- Mary Berry Mixed Berry Crumble Cheesecake Recipe
- Mary Berry Cupcakes Recipe
- Mary Berry Dorset Apple Cake
Mary Berry Cherry Cake
8
servings20
minutes1
hour30
minutes1
hour50
minutesThis moist, almond-scented Mary Berry Cherry Cake is studded with sweet glacé cherries and finished with a zesty lemon glaze. Made with ground almonds and self-raising flour, it takes just over an hour to create a perfect tea-time treat that keeps fruit suspended in every slice.
Ingredients
200g glacé cherries
225g self-raising flour
175g softened butter
175g caster sugar
50g ground almonds
3 large eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
175g icing sugar (for topping)
Juice of 1 lemon (for topping)
15g flaked almonds, toasted (for topping)
A few reserved cherries (for topping)
Directions
- Prep the Cherries: Cut the cherries into quarters. Place them in a sieve and rinse under warm water to remove the sticky syrup. Dry them thoroughly with kitchen paper and toss them in 2 tablespoons of the flour (taken from your weighed 225g).
- Cream the Mixture: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan/Gas 4) and grease a deep 20cm (8in) round cake tin. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with the last egg to prevent curdling.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: Gently fold in the remaining flour, ground almonds, and lemon zest. The mixture should be quite thick and stiff compared to a standard sponge.
- Fold in Fruit: Carefully fold in the flour-coated cherries, ensuring they are evenly distributed without overworking the batter.
- Bake: Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 35–40 minutes (check at 35; it may need up to 50 minutes depending on your oven). A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
- Cool and Decorate: Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Once completely cold, mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to form a thick pouring consistency. Drizzle over the cake and scatter with toasted flaked almonds and reserved cherries.
