This moreish cherry crumble cake combines two delicious bakes. A light cherry sponge with a buttery crumble topping, perfect for making the most of juicy British cherries when in season. Take a slice in your packed lunch for a sweet treat or enjoy for pudding with a generous helping of ice cream or fresh custard.

Ready in: 2 hours

Serves: 8 – 10

Ingredients

180 salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
220g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
250g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
50g ground almonds
80g soured cream
300g fresh British cherries, stoned and halved

For the crumble topping
45g plain flour
35g cold salted butter, cubed
20g golden caster sugar

Method

Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line the base of a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin.

First, make the crumble topping. Put the flour and butter in a mixing bowl and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir through the sugar, then place in the fridge for later.

For the cake batter, beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition. Next, fold through the flour, baking powder, ground almonds and soured cream. Finish by adding all but a handful of cherries and stir through.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Place the reserved cherries over the top and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and scatter over the crumble topping. Return the cake to the oven and bake for a further 30-50 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once cooked, remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin.

Slice the cake into thick wedges and serve with ice cream or custard, if you like.

The cake will store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Star Ingredient of the Week

British Cherries

The best cherries are plump, glossy and free of blemishes. Cherries are best stored at cooler temperatures, which keeps them fresher for longer. Most people enjoy eating cherries in their raw state – picking off the stem, biting your way around the stone and, if they’re really juicy, the inevitable battle of stopping the juice from dripping down your chin! Their season doesn’t last long, so pick up a punnet from our Greengrocers before it’s too late.