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This Cherry Bakewell Cake with Glaze is the best way to recreate classic Bakewell flavours but so much easier! This comprises a simple almond sponge cake, topped with an easy glaze and some cherry jam dollops! You can go ahead and feather the pink icing, classic Bakewell style, or feel free to omit!
The almond flavour comes through as a result of a small amount of ground almonds and a good amount of almond extract. This is available in small bottles, just like vanilla extract, and can be found at most major supermarkets. I find just a tiny amount goes a long way, and is a great addition to anything requiring just that touch of almond.
You could totally change up how you decorate the top of the cake. I use a basic icing, make some of it pink, then create a ‘feathered’ effect before adding and swirling some cherry jam. You could go for icing and flaked almonds, you could just go for jam. Whatever you do along this thread, you will end up with a joyously moist sponge and lots of happy people!
This doesn’t require much in terms of equipment, ingredients or skill, so is great to get the whole family involved in. This is also one of those cakes that is so appreciated if you’re turning up somewhere, or just to take to work! I think there’s something nice about having a cake recipe to hand that you can pull together in no time.
This makes an 8″ square cake (traybake), but feel free to double the recipe for a 9×13″ tin! For me, this sort of cake is perfect as a “snacking cake”. As in, cut a piece whenever you’re feeling snacky! That said, it does make a gorgeous birthday cake for any Bakewell lovers in your life!
Tips for the best Cherry Bakewell Cake with Glaze
- Almond Flavour: We get this from a combination of ground almonds and almond extract. You should be able to find almond extract in most major supermarkets.
- Icing: Make sure to wait for the cake to cool completely before adding the glaze, or it will turn into a molten mess!
- Feathering: To create the pretty pink feathering effect, you will want to have the pink icing ready at the same time as the white icing. Once the white icing has been spread all over, you add lines of the pink icing. Then you use a toothpick/skewer to drag through the pink (in perpendicular lines) to create the classic Bakewelll feather effect!
- Creaming: When creaming the butter and sugar for the cake, make sure to go until it’s really light and fluffy. This will be at least 4 minutes with an electric mixer. This provides that lift, keeping the sponge light and fluffy!
For this Cherry Bakewell Cake with Glaze, I use a basic 8′ square pan (I like this one). I also recommend a good stand mixer or high speed mixer (like this one). If you’re after more traybake recipes, check out this Lemon and Orange Drizzle Cake or this Red Velvet Traybake Cake. For videos, check my Instagram.
Cherry Bakewell Cake with Glaze
Ingredients
- 175 g Unsalted Butter
- 175 g Caster Sugar
- 3 Medium Free Range Eggs
- 2 tsp Almond Extract
- 150 g Plain Flour
- 25 g Ground Almonds
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 3 tbsp Milk
For the Glaze
- 100 g Icing Sugar
- 3 tbsp Milk
- 1 tsp Almond Extract
- Pink Food Colour Optional
- Cherry Jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 5. Line an 8" square tin.
- In a large bowl/the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar for about 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and almond extract and combine again. Then, add the flour, baking powder and ground almonds and gently fold to combine. Add the milk to loosen, stir gently.
- Pour the batter into the lined tin and bake for 25 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack before icing.
- Make the icing in a small bowl by combing the icing sugar, milk and almond extract. It should be thick, but pourable. Adjust if necessary.
- Optional: Remove about 2 tbsp of the icing into another bowl/mug, and add some pink food colouring to this small batch.
- Pour the white icing over the cake and spread to cover. Add the pink in horizontal lines, about 3cm apart. Use a skewer/toothpick/knife to create the feather effect: do this by gently dragging the tool through the lines of pink icing (moving vertically through the horizontal lines), so that you are 'dragging' the pink.
- Dollop on some of the cherry jam randomly and move the skewer through these to create swirls! Slice and serve.
