photo by TPT Rewire
This article originally appeared on Rewire.
By Katie Schutrop
There are many reasons to love The Great British Baking Show. The challenges, the characters, the competition. But for me, it’s the inspiration the show gives me to see if I, a total novice in the kitchen, could pull off any of the baking feats we see week-to-week.
The first episode I remember watching was all about cakes. The technical challenge? Judge Mary Berry’s infamous cherry cake. The contestants hustled at their stations, mixing and measuring, hoping their version of the recipe would impress the renowned baker.
It’s a delightful episode and one that armed me with the courage to bake the cake myself. I’m happy to report I think (hope) my concoction would make Mary Berry herself proud—if not only for my evenly distributed cherries!
What you’ll need:
For the cake:
200 grams (7 ounces) red glace cherries
225 grams (8 ounces) self-raising flour
175 grams (6 ounces) softened unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
175 grams (6 ounces) caster sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
50 grams (1¾ ounces) ground almonds
3 large eggs
1 bundt tin
For the decoration:
175 grams (6 ounces) icing sugar
1 lemon, juice only
15 grams (½ ounces) flaked almonds, toasted
5 red glace cherries (quartered)
I spent a good amount of time researching the British equivalents for caster sugar and icing sugar. To achieve the fine texture of caster sugar, I ran granulated sugar through a food processor for a few spins to break it down into a fine texture. Icing sugar is simply powdered sugar.
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a bundt tin with butter.
Step 2:
Cut the cherries into quarters. Drain them through a sieve with water and dry thoroughly on paper towel. Then toss them in two tablespoons of the flour. Mary Berry stresses this step as a way to ensure evenly-distributed cherries throughout your cake. Wet cherries will sink to the bottom—and no one wants that!
You can set aside extra cherries to use for decoration at the end of the process if you choose.
Step 3:
Add all the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and beat well until it’s a smooth consistency. Lightly add the cherries into the mix and pour into the bundt tin.
Step 4:
Bake for 35-40 minutes. Once it’s finished, insert a fork or skewer to make sure it comes out clean. That means it’s done. Set the tin aside to cool for 10 minutes. Flip it onto a wire rack to cool some more.
Step 5:
Mary’s recipe includes a lemony icy frosting. I chose not to add this because A) I’m not a frosting person and B) My quick attempt at making some was a fail (it ended up too liquid-y for my liking).
If you choose to include this step, just mix the icing (powdered) sugar with lemon juice until it turns into a paste.
Step 6:
Decorate to your liking! Sprinkle on the frosting, cherries and/or almonds.
Are you ready to make Mary Berry’s Cherry Cake? Get the recipe from PBS Food.
Watch The Great British Baking Show HERE or Fridays at 8 PM on TPT 2 (check your local PBS listings).
© Twin Cities Public Television - 2016. All rights reserved.
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