Upside Down Cherry Cake

Feeds 12 people - Ready in 1 hour 30 minutes
Vegetarian
Get together, put the kettle on and share a slice of cake

Ingredients
- 
250g caster sugar 
- 
450g Co-op fresh British cherries, destoned and halved 
- 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
- 
1 tsp almond extract 
- 
200g Co-op unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 
- 
4 Co-op British free-range eggs 
- 
150g pack Co-op ground almonds 
- 
150g Co-op self-raising flour 
- 
Half tsp Co-op baking powder 
- 
2 tbsp Co-op flaked almonds, toasted 
- 
300ml tub Co-op reduced-fat crème fraîche, to serve 
Directions
- 
Heat 50g of the sugar with 3 tbsp water in a large frying pan 
- 
When the sugar has dissolved, add the cherries and half tsp each of the extracts 
- 
Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 mins, stirring occasionally, until the cherries are soft but still hold their shape 
- 
Tip into a sieve over a bowl to strain 
- 
Return the liquid to the pan and bubble for 2-3 mins, until syrupy 
- 
Leave to cool 
- 
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4 
- 
Grease a 23cm springform cake tin and line with greaseproof paper 
- 
Beat the butter and remaining sugar together until pale and fluffy 
- 
Whisk in 3 of the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition 
- 
Add half the ground almonds, 1 tbsp of the flour, the baking powder and the remaining extracts along with the last egg 
- 
Finally, fold in the remaining almonds and flour 
- 
Spread the cherries across the base of the tin and drizzle with 1 tbsp of the syrup 
- 
Spoon the cake mixture on top and level off 
- 
Bake in the oven for about an hour, until risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean 
- 
Cool in the tin for at least 30 mins, then invert onto a plate 
- 
Drizzle with the remaining syrup, top with the toasted nuts, then serve with the crème fraîche