Almond, olive and Picota cherry cake

Name: Almond, olive and Picota cherry cake
Yield: 8-10 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200 g ground almonds; 60 g plain flour; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp fine salt; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 150 g caster sugar; 120 ml extra virgin olive oil (choose a smooth one); 1 lemon, zest only; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 150 g Picota cherries, washed, pitted and halved; 200 g Picota cherries, washed and pitted (leave whole); 80 g caster sugar; 25 ml water; clotted cream

Picota Cherries @jertepicotacherries

Simple but delicious cherry cake, created by Omar Allibhoy

Picota Cherries @jertepicotacherries

Simple but delicious cherry cake, created by Omar Allibhoy

Saved

Ingredients

8-10 servings

200 gground almonds
60 gplain flour
1 1/2 tspbaking powder
1/4 tspfine salt
3large eggs, at room temperature
150 gcaster sugar
120 mlextra virgin olive oil (choose a smooth one)
1lemon, zest only
1 tspvanilla extract
150 gPicota cherries, washed, pitted and halved
Poached Picotas
200 gPicota cherries, washed and pitted (leave whole)
80 gcaster sugar
25 mlwater
To serve
clotted cream

Saved

Steps

1

Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan 160°C). Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.
2

In a bowl, combine the ground almonds, flour, baking powder and salt.
3

In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar for 1–2 minutes until lighter and slightly thickened.
4

Whisk in the olive oil, lemon zest and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the halved cherries.
5

Pour into the tin and level the top. Bake for 50 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine). Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then cool fully on a rack.
6

Put the sugar and water in a small pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the whole pitted cherries. Simmer for 2–3 minutes—just enough to soften slightly and turn glossy. Take off the heat and let them sit in the syrup for 5 minutes. Cool.
7

Slice the cake and serve with a spoonful of clotted cream and a few poached Picotas with a little syrup over the top.