RecipeReplica: Cherry-Cherry Cake

Why am I calling this Cherry Cherry cake? There is Cherry in the middle and Cherry on the top. Ha Ha. This recipe was bookmarked sometime in the winter from Sumi's Kitchen. It was very distressing to wait until the cherries hit the store shelves Then it it did and I couldn't wait..Since my hubby's birthday came around the same time it was double the fun. This cake gets "centum" for looking great and tasting great. Go check out her lovely space for more exciting recipes. I love her Dates, Prunes and Walnut Bread and Baked Fennel-Flavored Salmon Bites. I have already tried the Salmon recipe many times and the bread is on the must-do list. Hey,Watch out. I am on the hunt and your blog might be next for my next edition of "RecipeReplica".

Ingredients:

• Cherries - 60#s, halved and pitted.
• King Arthur All Purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups
• Baking Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Eggs - 2
• Brown Sugar - 3/4 cup
• Butter - 1/2 cup (1 stick), melted
• Whole Milk - 1/3 cup
• Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp
• Lime/Lemon Zest - from 1 Lime/Lemon
• Salt - a pinch

Tool:

• 8 X 8 square pan or an 8" springform pan

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Grease the cake pan. Grease the parchment paper and place it on the bottom of the pan.Dust lightly with flour.
• Set aside 15-20 good-looking cherry halves.Roughly chop the remaining cherries.
• In a big bowl, add the eggs, butter, sugar,vanilla extract. Mix using an electric mixer until its thick for about 3-4 minutes.
• Add milk,lemon/lime zest, salt to the bowl.
• In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder. Add this along with the cherries to the egg mixture in batches and gently combine.

• Transfer the batter to the pan and bake for 20 minutes.
• Quickly arrange the saved cherry halves,cut side down on the top of the cake.

• Bake for 15 more minutes or the top is golden brown.
• Cool the cake on the cooling rack and serve at room temperature.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Notes:

• Try substituting 1/2 cup APF with Whole Wheat flour for a dense version of this cake.
• Push down the cherry chunks in the batter prior to baking so the top is reserved for cherry halves.

Enjoy!