Marys Cherry Cake Food

OLD-FASHIONED CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Begin by preparing the cherries. If they're dripping in syrup, pat them dry with kitchen paper, then slice each one into four. For the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until light, pale and fluffy. Now gradually beat in the whisked eggs a little at a time. Then sift the flour and baking powder together, and carefully fold this into the creamed mixture using a metal spoon. Toss two thirds of the cherries together with the ground almonds and carefully fold these into the cake, adding one or two drops of almond extract and the milk. Now spoon the cake mix into the prepared tin, level off the top with the back of a spoon, then sprinkle over the remaining third of the cherries and poke them just under the surface with a teaspoon. Bake the cake near the centre of the oven for 50 minutes, then cover with foil and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes, or until the centre is springy to touch. Cool the cake in the tin for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight tin.

MARY'S CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Cream together the sugar and shortening. Mix in the egg yolks one at a time. Add cherries. Add dry ingredients and spices (except for baking soda).
• Dissolve baking soda in cherry juice. Add cherry juice and buttermilk. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8in cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees bake 30-35 minute Let cool, place on cake platter and frost between the layers with either 7 min frosting or cream cheese frosting and on the sides.

FRESH CHERRY CAKE WITH A HINT OF CINNAMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 160C/ conventional 180C/gas 4. Grease and base line a 20cm round cake tin, about 5cm deep. Sift the flour, cinnamon and caster sugar into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the egg, milk and melted butter, then combine with a wooden spoon or electric whisk. Beat well to make a thick, smooth mixture. Spoon into the tin and spread evenly.
• Remove the stalks and stones from the cherries, using a pitter if you have one to keep the fruit whole. Scatter the cherries over the mixture and gently press them in.
• To make the topping, tip all the ingredients into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingers to make a crumb-like mixture, then work the mixture until it comes together in pea-sized pieces. Scatter the topping over the cherries.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin until cool enough to handle, then run a knife round the edge, remove the cake from the tin and leave on a wire rack until completely cold.
• For a picnic, make the cake up to 24 hours ahead and return it to the clean tin when cold. Dust liberally with icing sugar, then wrap in cling film or foil.

MARY'S ROYAL CHERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• First, make the custard. Tip the caster sugar, cornflour and vanilla into a mixing bowl and add the eggs and egg yolk. Whisk with a hand whisk until smooth and blended.
• Pour the milk and double cream into a pan and heat gently until hot, but do not boil. Pour this over the egg mixture and immediately whisk until blended. Wash the pan to remove any scum from the milk and pour the custard back into the clean pan. Heat gently, stirring constantly until thickened. Don't panic if the custard starts to look lumpy as it thickens, just continue to heat and whisk until the custard is thick and smooth. Pour into a jug and cover the surface of the custard with cling film to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to cool.
• Tip the stoned cherries into a pan with half the jam or conserve and cook over a medium heat for 5-10 mins until softened and saucy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
• Spread half the slices of Madeira cake generously with the remaining cherry jam. Sandwich with the remaining cake slices, then cut in half. Pour the kirsch or brandy into a shallow bowl, dip each sponge sandwich into the liqueur, then arrange in the base of the trifle dish (you will need a shallow, straight-sided, 20cm round glass dish about 5cm deep). Line the edges of the dish first to create a stripy effect, then fill in the centre with the remaining sandwiches, pouring over any remaining liquid.
• Spoon over the cherries and any juice from the pan, then scatter over the broken biscuits. Pour over the cooled custard, then spread whipped cream over the top. Decorate with fresh whole cherries and chill for a few hours, or make it a day ahead and chill for up to 24 hours before serving.

EASY CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease or Spray bottom of two 8 or 9 inch cake pans.
• *Drain juice from cherries and add water to make 1 1/4 cups.
• Chop cherries in half.
• Beat cake mix, cherry juice/water, oil, egg whites and cherries in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 1 1/2 minutes
• Pour into pans.
• Bake 30- 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes in pans.
• Run knife around sides of pans before removing.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• A White Mountain icing is very good.

MARY'S CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and margarine until well blended . Press mixture into a 9 inch springform pan.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine cream, flour, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat together, and then pour into cream cheese mixture. Mix well. Pour filling into prepared graham cracker crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 65 minutes. Turn off oven, and cool cake in oven for 30 minutes. Prop door open and cool in oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Refrigerate for as long as possible before serving.

CHERRY LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 900g loaf tin and line with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and almond extract (if using).
• Toss the cherries with 2 tbsp of the flour in a bowl. Tip the rest of the flour, the ground almonds, baking powder and a pinch of salt into the bowl with the sugar and eggs, and mix until just combined. Fold in the cherries and any remaining flour in the bowl. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth over the top.
• Bake for 50-55 mins, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve as it is, or mix the icing sugar with the extract and enough milk to make a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle over the loaf cake, and scatter over the flaked almonds to serve.