Teatime Cherry cake

The summers are officially over with the monsoons having arrived in a big way. The season of rains has been extra generous over most parts of India. With all the good things that the rainy season brings, like relief from the torturous summer's heat and rainfall for the crops, it also brings along a host of diseases. It is considered to be one of the worst time of the year to eat out, especially, from the roadside stalls because of the fear of receiving germs from contaminated water they usually use. Pools of water are the best place for viruses to thrive which kick starts the rounds of the dreadful viral sickness. 

Do not get me wrong, I personally love the season of rains and love all the yummy, warm and spicy food associated with it. This is the perfect time of the year to make fries at home and devour on hot soups and comforting Khichdis.

24th of every month is the day we celebrate as 'Sweet day' to remember the beautiful and joyous presence of our daughter Vaanya who was born on this date. Till she turned 1 year, we celebrated every 24 with either a homemade or a store bought cake. Since then, it has become a ritual for us to celebrate the day with something sweet. 

This 24 th however, our darling angel caught on the dreadful virus and had fever with a runny nose. It is one of the most helpless and miserable feeling to see your little one lying still in bed and having no strength to do her usual round of mischief. Thankfully the sickness was shortlived and she was back to her naughty self very soon.

This very simple cake uses the same recipe as my Comfort food-chocolate cake. This is an all time tried and tested recipe which is a family favourite. I made it in into a vanilla cake and added whole pitted cherries in the batter. The cake, as expected, was super soft and yummy. The addition of fresh cherries added that amazing zing to an otherwise normal vanilla cake. It is a perfect tea time cake being super easy and quick to make.

Ingredients : Makes a 9x4" loaf shaped cake

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 100 gms unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar, powdered
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• fresh cherries, pitted

Procedure :
Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius.
Grease and line a 9x4 loaf tin.
Mix butter and powdered sugar in a bowl and beat it with a spoon till it becomes creamy.  
Sieve refined flour and baking powder and keep aside.
Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl.
Now mix the flour mixture, beaten eggs and vanilla essence to the bowl of butter and sugar mixture. Mix it well so that no lumps are formed.
Pour 1/3 of the batter in the prepared baking tin. 
Add whole pitted cherries on top of the cake batter.
Pour another 1/3 of the cake batter and top with some more cherries. Finally pour the remaining batter.
Bake for 30-35 mins or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow to cool and slice this lovely cake.

This is a basic cake recipe where you may substitute the fresh cherries with Glacéd cherries or Tutti frutti or may leave it altogether.

Linking this recipe to Bake Fest #21 brainchild of Vardhini

Happy Cherry cake Eating

Amrita