Almond, olive and Picota cherry cake

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

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 170°C, or fan 160°C, and grease and line a 20cm cake tin.
2. Combine the ground almonds, flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a larger bowl for 1–2 minutes, until the mixture is lighter and slightly thickened.
4. Whisk in olive oil, lemon zest and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients just until combined, then fold in the halved cherries.
5. Pour into the tin and level the surface. 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 completely on a rack.
6. Bring the sugar and water to a gentle simmer in a small pan. Add the whole pitted cherries and simmer for 2–3 minutes, only until slightly softened and glossy. Remove from the heat and leave them in the syrup for 5 minutes, then cool.
7. Slice the cake and serve with a spoonful of clotted cream, a few poached Picotas and a little syrup over the top.