I am back at work today, for the first time in six weeks. It’s a slight shock to the system, obviously, and my looming three-year deadline is not helping. I’ve already read some Foucault. You know, just to ease into things again. Now I need to read my thesis draft so I can remember what exactly I have written. I need to edit it, improve the writing, engage with the theory and generally make it better (better? presentable? an-organised-argument-rather-than-a-random-jumble-of-words? Oh the things still to do!). On top of that I am ever-so-slightly jet lagged (I keep thinking I’m fine and then am awake until 2am. Dammit!) and I am house-hunting. To counterbalance all this, I thought I would share this cake with you. Plus, it’s Monday. Who doesn’t need cake on Monday?

This cake was still cooling on the counter when it was attacked by frenzied hoards of, apparently ravenous, people. (Evidence in the above picture of the cake falling apart as it was cut – precisely what happens when you try to cut hot cake.) I’ve never had that happen before. It obviously speaks volumes about the cake. And the sour cherries within. I made it (well, three of them actually) at cookNscribble a few weeks back to help use up all those sour cherries we had in the freezer. It’s not quite a pound cake, (traditional pound cakes have equal quantities flour/butter/sugar), but it is fairly similar. I found the recipe on NPR (via a Google search for sour cherry cake). The original uses mascarpone but I only had souring heavy cream so I used that. I also reduced the quantity of sugar by a half cup. I don’t think it needs the extra half but feel free to add it back in if you like things slightly sweeter. It’s a straight-forward creaming method cake, no frills, and bakes easily in loaf tins. I suspect it would make a good bundt cake too.

Happy Monday!

Sour Cherry Loaf Cake
Adapted from NPR

2 cups sour cherries (if using frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight)
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups butter (3/4lb*)
2 1/2 cups caster sugar
6 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter and line two loaf tins with parchment.
Place the cherries (and any juice) in a bowl and cover with the 1/2 cup of sugar. Set aside.
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter with the other 2 and a half cups of sugar until bright white and fluffy.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. If the mixture splits (this is almost inevitable), add in a few tablespoons of the flour/salt mixture.

Add in half the flour mixture, followed by half the sour cream. Beat until smooth, then add in the rest of the flour followed by the cream.

Drain the excess juice of the cherries into a pot.

Gently fold the cherries into the cake mixture.

Divide this between the two loaf tins.

Bake for approximately one hour, depending on your oven. The cakes are cooked when risen, golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Whilst the cakes are baking, reduce the cherry juice over a medium heat until it starts to thicken. This takes only about five minutes. When the cakes are still warm, paint the juice over the cakes. Allow to cool completely before eating. (If you can keep the masses at bay that long.)

This cake freezes super well for up to three months. Allow to defrost at room temperature overnight before serving.

*This is approximately 340g. But I was measuring in American, so I haven’t used the gram measurement yet.