6 dec

Cherry Cake

Mrs Evans, Wagga Branch

MAKES ONE 18 CM CAKE

200 g butter, softened

165 g (¾ cup) caster sugar

3 eggs

½ teaspoon almond essence

200 g (1¹/₃ cups) plain flour

25 g cornflour

2 teaspoons baking powder

120 g (½ cup) glacé cherries, halved

2 tablespoons milk

35 g (¹/₃ cup) flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and flour the side of an 18 cm cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Using an electric beater, beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each. Add the essence.

Sift the flour, cornflour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir into the butter mixture with the cherries and milk. Spoon the batter into the tin, smoothing the top even, and sprinkle over the almonds.

Bake for 1½ hours, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean– cover the cake with foil if it browns too quickly.

Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.