Cherry Cake for The Big Sweet Tooth !

Few weeks back when I saw a message from Rafeeda asking, if I would like to do a guest post for her, I didn't think 'No' as an answer. Well why would I , since this is my first guest post ever and all the more when it is being asked by a such a sweetheart like Rafeeda, you cannot deny it :). Thank you Rafeeda for this opportunity.

I have known Rafeeda through the blogging world. A person who is so active, friendly and an interactive blogger. I sometimes wonder how she finds time to manage a job and a blog along with her family of sweet little kids.

While I was wondering what to make for the guest post, I was sure I should make something sweet for The Big Sweet Tooth  :). So I went ahead with a Cherry cake that I sent virtually to Rafeeda. For the recipe, head on to her blog.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup or 113 gms of salted butter
2. 350 gms of fresh cherries - rinse, dried and pitted 
3. 1 cup of all purpose flour
4. 1/2 cup of almond meal
5. 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
6. 2 large eggs
7. 3/4 cup of granulated white sugar
8. 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
9. 1/3 cup of milk

Method

• In a saucepan melt the butter and remove it from the stove. Let it cool down to room temperature.
• Preserve few cherries, having cut them into half to be placed on the top of the cake during baking. Cut the remaining cherries into quarters and sprinkle them with all purpose flour just to form a coating over them.
• In a bowl, whisk the flour, almond meal and baking powder. This would be referred to as the flour mixture.
• In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar untill thick and light colored. Beat in the vanilla extract. 
• With a spatula or wired whisk, fold in the cooled butter and milk just until incorporated. Now fold in the flour mixture just untill moistened.
• Fold in the cherries that were cut into quarters.
• Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C.
• Grease a 9 inch spring foam pan with butter or non stick spray. Pour the batter into it and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Bake for 15 minutes and then remove from the oven and quickly arrange the remaining cherries on top of the cake with the cut side down. 
• Place the cake back in the oven and bake for 15- 20 minutes or untill golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Tips

1. If the cake seems to be over browning, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil for the rest of the baking period.