Cherry Cake

Add a fresh cherry cake to your next gathering. It's perfect for a coffee/snack break or BBQ.

Tis the season for bing cherries

and nothing says summer better when a cake is made with fresh cherries.  
Cook's Notes: I did use my cherry pitter but it's possible to remove pits with a long wooden skewer. The cake is fast, easy and moist made with yogurt and bursting with that fresh cherry taste we all love. I added a chocolate covered cherry to each serving. A springform pan works the best but a cake pan can substitute.  A 9 inch springform pan took 29 minutes to bake. Note baking time will vary when using an 8 inch square or springform pan. 
Recipe serves 8 and was adapted from anitalianinmykitchen.com

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups fresh cherries pitted 
• 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons flour 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon regular ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup + 2- 1/2 tablespoons sugar 
• Zest 1/2 lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, corn or sunflower oil
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• Cinnamon sugar mixture

Directions: 

• Toss the cherries with a couple of teaspoons of all purpose flour and mix to coat. This prevents cherries from sinking in the batter. 
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour an 8 or 9 inch cake pan or springform pan 
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and baking soda.
• In a large bowl beat on medium speed the eggs and sugar and until light and fluffy, (approximately 2-3 minutes), then add the zest and extracts, beat for one minute, then slowly add the vegetable oil and continue beating. Add the yogurt and milk and beat on low speed to combine, add the flour a third at a time, beating on low and scraping the bowl after each addition just until smooth.
• Fold half the pitted cherries into the batter then pour into the prepared cake pan, top with remaining cherries, press down lightly with a spatula. Sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar mixture over the top. 
• Bake 29-30 minutes for a 9 inch pan. Add additional time if using an 8 inch pan. 
• After 10 minutes remove outer ring from springform pan if using and place bottom of  pan on a cooling rack. If using a square pan, cake remains in pan. Cool before cutting. If desired top with powdered sugar and a chocolate dipped cherry when serving.

Forgot to include Roxie in 4th post. She certainly looked eager to get the party started.