Vilariño cherry cake

Cherry time! Who doesn’t like these shiny red cherries, one of the best fruit sources of antioxidants, that help prevent many diseases associated with old age. I do not know if I will stay young forever because when the season of this fruit arrives, I can eat cherries until I am bored. The truth is that I am very lucky, my father has a little slice of paradise in the shape of a garden in the middle of the Ribeira Sacra in Ourense . There we have a little bit of everything, kiwis, peach trees, apple trees, pear trees, medlars and many cherry trees.

This sponge cake is very similar in appearance to the  cherry Clafoutis , one of the most famous cakes in French cuisine, in the most popular preparation of this cake the whole cherry, with its bone, is usually used. They say that it confers a peculiar flavor reminiscent of the essence of almond, a characteristic highly appreciated by good gourmets. The one I am presenting to you today is made with pitted cherries from the garden of  Tony, the father of my friend Monica , who gave me a box of the ones he has in Vilariño , a town very close to mine. I can assure you that the sweet flavor does not have to do with those that you can buy in the supermarket, only very close in flavor to the famous pillory of Jerte . The latter are a great recommendation to prepare this dessert and that it is delicious.

Cherries have a soluble fiber that helps control bad cholesterol levels in the blood, and it also has a considerable supply of vitamin C, A, b3, carotenes and potassium. I am not going to tell you that this cake is not fattening but it is a fantastic option to take with a coffee in the morning, much better than any industrial bun you can imagine. Take advantage of the seasonal fruit to prepare your rich desserts and also assure you that you will very economical.

Preparation of cherries

1. We wash the cherries well and cut them in 2 to remove the stone. We set aside on a plate.
2. In a saucepan, pour 2 tablespoons of butter and heat until liquid. Add the cherries and when they begin to release their juice, add a tablespoon of brandy and 50 ml of aged rum. Stir occasionally and leave to cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. It will be almost like a compote but not so done. We remove and let cool.
3. If you do not have the opportunity to get fresh cherries, you can use the famous canned cherries or frozen cherries that you have throughout the year in any supermarket. You can even tune this cake with frozen red fruits, blueberries, currants and blackberries will do just as well. But you have to be careful so that they do not stay at the bottom of the dessert.
4. If we add sugar we can get a great cherry jam that can be used for other recipes or as a great accompaniment for a simple toast. The only difference is that while we cook them over low heat, we will add the sugar and increase the cooking time to 30 minutes, so that the consistency of the jam catches. It is also important not to crush the cherries too much with the mixer at the end of the process, my advice is to pass it through a masher. You will see that I succeed.

Preparation of the cherry cake

1. We wash the orange very well and grate it without reaching the white part, which can become bitter. We reserve.
2. To make it easier for you to prepare this cake and that it turns out perfect, we must have all the ingredients at room temperature and prepared. The butter has to be “to the point of ointment” , soft but not liquid. If we have everything at hand we will not forget anything and thus the end result will be delicious.
3. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until we have a fluffy and smooth dough, once this consistency is obtained, add the tablespoon of vanilla essence and continue beating, continue adding the eggs one by one. The mixture has to be smooth and creamy.
4. We add to the previous mixture the chemical yeast with the previously sifted flour, the yogurt and the zest of the orange. Beat with the mixer until there are no lumps.
5. For the cake I have chosen a silicone mold in the shape of a crown, which I have previously smeared with butter and sprinkled with a little wheat flour to prevent the cake from sticking to the surface and making it easier to remove it from the mold.
6. We pour the previous mixture into the mold and just before putting it in the oven we put the cherries with their juice with a spoon (it is not necessary that we pass them through flour so that they do not fall because the juice acts as a brake).
7. We preheat the oven to 200º C 10 minutes before adding the cake. We put it in the oven at 180º C for 40 minutes until the surface is well browned, the last 10 minutes we cover it with a piece of aluminum foil so that it does not burn us. Prick with a fork from time to time to see if the cake is done, until it comes out clean.
8. Once out of the oven, be careful not to burn yourself. We will allow it to temper a bit and carefully shake the silicone mold to help it separate from the walls. We put it on a rack to cool and once it is totally cold we will put it on a plate or tray and put it in a bag suitable for food, taking care that it is well closed. It is the best way to keep it for more days without it being dry.

I hope you like it and cheer up with this seasonal fruit that is very good. It goes without saying that the walnuts are great but I in this case did not have.