1 lb Sour cherries; (about 3
-cups) plus
; additional for
; garnish if desired
1/4 lb Blanched whole almonds
1 c Plus 2 tablespoons
-all-purpose flour
1 ts Double-acting baking powder
1/4 ts Salt
1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter;
-softened (3/4 cup)
3/4 c Plus 1 tablespoon granulated
-sugar
3 lg Eggs; separated
1 ts Vanilla
1/4 ts Almond extract
Confectioners’ sugar for
-dusting the cake
Preheat the oven to 375F. Line the bottom of a buttered 9- by 2-inch
round cake pan with a round of wax paper, butter the paper, and dust
the pan with flour, knocking out the excess. Working over a bowl pit
1 pound of the cherries, reserving any juice.
In a food processor grind fine the almonds with the flour, the baking
powder, and the salt. In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the
butter with 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar until the mixture is
light and fluffy, add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after
each addition, and stir in the flour mixture, the vanilla, the almond
extract, and the reserved cherry juice.
In another bowl with the electric mixer, beaters cleaned, beat the egg
whites until they just hold stiff peaks, stir one fourth of them into
the batter to lighten it, and fold in the remaining whites gently but
thoroughly. Turn the batter into the pan, smoothing the top, arrange
the cherries evenly on it, pressing them into the batter slightly,
and sprinkle them with the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
Bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or
until a tester comes out clean, and let it cool in the pan on a rack
for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack, invert a cake plate
over it, and invert the cake onto the plate. Dust the cake with the
confectioners’ sugar and garnish it with the additional cherries.
Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.
Yields
1 servings