January Recipe: Quick Cherry Topped Vanilla Cake

It’s time for another recipe! First, the recipe. Then, me blathering onward about my occasionally questionable culinary capabilities and the memories this particular feast holds for me.

• The Cake Ingredients
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon amaretto, optional
• The Filling Ingredients
  • 5 to 6 cups fresh, pitted cherries or frozen, or about 3 pounds
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• The Way of Preparing
• The Cake
  1. Oven to 350°F, 177°C, or Gas mark 4
  2. Sift together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
  3. Add butter, milk, egg, and vanilla; beat on low speed until well combined.
  4. Pour batter into a well greased and floured 8 X 1 1/2 inch round cake pan.
  5. Bake on the center rack for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test.
  6. Let the cake cool in the pan for five minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Top with cherry topping and whipped cream.
     
• The Topping
  1. Combine water, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the pitted cherries.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
  3. Let cook for ten minutes, stirring frequently.
  4. Remove from heat, adding in extract once it has begun to cool.
  5. Allow to come to room temperature before using over cake.
• Notes
  • I have also used a cherry amaretto sugar icing to glaze this cake.
    • For the icing, whisk together the following:
      • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
      • 1/4 cup tart cherry juice
      • 1 tbsp. amaretto liqueur
      • ¹⁄₈ tsp. kosher salt
  • Frozen cherries work, too. But they take a little longer to bring up to boil.

I made this cake when I was roommates with the German Patrick. He wasn’t fond of chocolate, but would devour this, especially when cherries were in season.