Thursday, July 7, 2011

Sour Cherry Crumb Cake



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Fruits and berries that are grown in our area are late to market this year. Local strawberries began to appear in farm stands and green markets about 2 weeks ago, but they are still not prime. Each year, I play my own version of Russian roulette, and, to insure the most intense flavor, I postpone buying flats of them for as long as I possibly can. A few years back, I outsmarted myself and we ended up with no berries at all for the freezer or canning kettle. I must be a gambler at heart, because I've postponed going long in berries again this year. The upside to all of this is, that while I'm waiting for strawberries, I've been working on recipes that use sweet or sour cherries. Now, in keeping with my policy of complete disclosure, I must tell you these are not Oregon cherries. They are imported from Washington state to fill market shelves, and, while they are immigrants, they are especially delicious this year. The simple snack cake that I'm featuring today comes from a recipe I've adapted from Martha Stewart's website. The cake is really easy to make and the cherries give it a unique flavor. While I serve this for brunch, it would be a great cake for morning meetings where you would like to serve something new. The cake can be made with fresh or frozen berries. If you use frozen berries, they must be defrosted and drained before they are added to the cake batter. This is a great dessert for those who like their treats barely sweet. Here's the recipe.

Sour Cherry Crumb Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
Topping
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for dish
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dish
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cake
1 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups (1 pound) fresh sour cherries, pitted

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish, and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
2) To make topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3) To make cakes: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. With a mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar in another bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla and almond extract. Working in alternating batches, add flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until just combined. Pour into prepared pan, and smooth with an offset spatula. Dot top with cherries, and sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake until golden and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool before cutting. Yield: 9 servings.

Cook's Note: Frozen cherries, thawed and drained, may be substituted for fresh cherries.









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67 comments :

Anonymous said...

Cherries started popping up at my farmers market about two weeks ago, so I'll have to pick up a couple of pints and try this baked treat! Looks delicious!

Lifewithspices said...

Wow This is an absolutely filling cake n addition of berries gives an immense taste to it.. So yummy..

Chelsea said...

So tasty! I'm actually unfamiliar with sour cherries. Yum!

Ruth said...

I love sour cherries - and this looks like a praticularly good way to use them!

Katarina said...

I just bought cherries today :) and this recipe sounds delicious!

Anonymous said...

I always watch when the small strawberry shop opens at the beginning of the season to know when to start berry buying :)

Diane said...

I seldom make cakes but this could just encourage me to make some now! Take care Diane

purabi naha said...

This really looks delish and something I want to try out seriously. You have a great blog and your food photos left me drooling!

Elin said...

Mary...this cake looks good for tea break with a hot cup of chocolate...cherry in season now..great idea to use make this crumb cake :) delish!

Have a nice day,
Elin

Maris(In Good Taste) said...

I really wish I had a piece of this with my coffee. I love crumb cake and cherries so this is a sure fire winner!

Priya Suresh said...

Damn irresistible cake, makes me drool..

Terri @ that's some good cookin' said...

Now you've gone and done it. I'm going to HAVE to make this. I just saw some sour cherries at one of our farmer's markets this past weekend. Why, oh why, didn't I buy some.

SinFoodie said...

This looks amazing. The crumb topping is so inviting. I am tempted to make them soon.

Sandra said...

All your recipes are wonderful!
I love cherries, so I'll try this cake!(we are now in cherry season in Spain).
Thank you for your blog, is an inspiration for me.
Love from Spain

Sanjeeta kk said...

Love those crumb crust Mary! The slices look so temping.

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

Man this looks amazing! Do you ever sleep ? You have something new everyday to make me drool over! your recipes are always as perfect as your photo! yum!

Lynn said...

Sounds great and looks beautiful! I love coffee cakes like this:@)

kitchen flavours said...

This is a beautiful crumb cake. Your "barely sweet" certainly caught my attention, as I love cakes that are not overly sweet! Thank you for sharing, have a nice day!

Suman Singh said...

Love the crumb topping and the addition of berries sounds delicious..perfect with a cup of tea..

Clint said...

This really looks heavenly for a brunch with some strong java. Ummm.

Tanna said...

I love cherries. Sweet. Sour. They are the most perfect fruit in my eyes (or tastebuds, I suppose). This sounds divine! Thank you, Mary. blessings ~ tanna

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

I will make this next time we have morning guests.

I am happy your cherries came from my home state. :-)


Fondly,
Glenda

Sue/the view from great island said...

I love fresh cherries more than life itself, but how do you pit the darn things? Any tips? I have seen several tempting recipes lately but I just can't bear the thought of fiddling with all the tiny pits and mess, so I end up eating my cherries out of hand most of the time. This looks so great it will probably be worth the effort, though. I love the addition of almond extract.

Martha said...

mmm, it looks and sound delicious!

lena said...

i havent tried anything on cherries yet, seen many recipes on cherries cake, this is another inspiration!

Karen Harris said...

My neighbor up the street has two sour cherry trees that she shares with me. I can't wait to get the jam going so I can make some of my favorite desserts. I would love to give this one a try.

Unknown said...

That looks utterly amazing! I wish I had a piece of it right now.. no, two pieces :)

Rivki Locker said...

I laughed when I read your post, because I did the same thing this year with strawberries. I kept thinking they'd get better, and before I knew it, they were gone! :(
This cake looks spectacular. I almost never bake with cherries because they're so delicious fresh, it seems a shame to 'adulterate' them. But this looks wonderful.

Unknown said...

mmmmm! wow these are tempting me to stray from my "beach diet" - they just look too good! It's hard to resist anything with cherries!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Cherries are in season and crumb cake will never go out of season!

Kim said...

I love this kind of cake. Plus, with sour cherries, yummy!

SnoWhite said...

looks delicious, Mary! we love cherries here :)

Jocie's Mom said...

Immigrant cherries! :) Put to a great use, this cake looks amazing!

David said...

Mary, This is a 'can't miss' kind of cake! Sour cherries and crumb cake...two of my favorites... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Anonymous said...

oh my my those are amazing,, I think I can smell them,,

Jeannie said...

This looks simple and nice and yet not so easy to make,I know! I always love cakes with crumbs top.

Gloria Baker said...

Yummm!! I love these cakes, blessings, gloria

Anonymous said...

Tu pastel tiene una textura muy rica, y el crumble encima me parece una idea excelente!!

Besos

We Are Not Martha said...

This looks so much better than the typical crumb cake!! I love the idea of sour cherries :)

Sues

Heather S-G said...

Oh, this does sound like a lovely dessert. I look forward to our short sour cherry season every year and stock up as much as I can at the farmer's market for pies, cobblers...and things like this cake!

dr.antony said...

Hi Mary
i was awy for some time.
That is a lovely bite!

PeggyR said...

I love cherries and this sounds so good.

Banana Wonder said...

Love the snack cakes... and sour cherry is delicious, even if the cherries aren't Oregonian - at least they are Pac NW. Good stuff :-)

Anonymous said...

I actually wait patiently every year for the rainier cherries. Which then eat so fast I've never made anything with them. This looks like a great recipe.
Karen

Katie said...

That was a great analogy between the freshest strawberries of the season and Russian roulette!

Ginny Hartzler said...

Phil likes the yellow Ranier cherries. Too bad all cherries have such a short season!

Adam said...

In my area strawberries are in full bloom and can be found everywhere, whereas cherries are few and far between. I picked up a basket of cherries at a local farm not too long ago and they were terrible. Russian Roulette indeed :). The cake looks fantastic. I love anything that goes well with a cup of coffee, and there's something about sour cherry that works especially well :).

Desserts In My Kitchen said...

Yummy, your sour cherry crumb cake looks devine! In my area we are flooded with strawberries this season. The local farmers market are loaded down with fresh vegi's, and fruits. I guess it is different in many areas. I love your blog, and I did subscribe so I don't miss any posts :)

Catherine said...

Dear Mary, Looks delish! I would love a piece with a good cup of coffee. Have a great and blessed day, Catherine xo

Epicurea said...

looks mouth watering but i'm with sue - any tips how to pit cherries?

Anonymous said...

Though I like my treats very sweet, I love crumb cake, and this looks and sounds fantastic! If only this was sitting on my counter ready to eat when I get home from work. I'll cross my fingers and maybe it will magically appear. ;)

That Girl said...

It's funny. I still have to adjust to having our produce ready earlier than I expect. I almost miss out on apple season ever year by waiting till the end of September!

JG said...

This afternoon I purchased cherries and now I have a wonderful recipe to bake using some, also! Yummy!
~Judy

Kay aka Babygirl said...

I love a unique recipe, and this Sour Cherry Crumb Cake looks amazing. Thanks for sharing this treat

Anonymous said...

My mouth is watering, what a delicious sounding cake!
Mary x

Claudia said...

A friend is bringing me fresh Michigan cherries tomorrow - they're not sour - but - if I can resists just gobbling them up (which I have been doing with quarts and quarts of MN strawberries) I will make this. I don't love my sweets very sweet!

Joanne said...

These "immigrants" are more than welcome in my 'hood! This cake sounds delicious!

Cassie | Bake Your Day said...

I love crumb cake but have never had a cherry crumb cake...it sounds heavenly, your photos are beautiful!

The Honey Nut said...

YUM!!! I am a sucker for anything with fresh cherries! They are one of my favorite summer fruits!

Becki (Becki's Whole Life) said...

I just bought some cherries at the store yesterday. I assume I can use sweet or sour in this? I have to admit I didn't realize there were different types of cherries! Looks super yummy..love a good crumb cake.

Ryan said...

Fruited crumb cakes are one of my absolute favorite desserts! This looks so good! I'm sure it tastes wonderful with the sour cherries. I can't wait to make this!!

Donna Elick said...

Fantastic for summer. We have fantastic cherries at our farmers market! They would be great I am sure.

Spoon and Chopsticks said...

Hi Mary,

That's very lovely! I love your crumb cake.

http://spoon-and-chopsticks.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

These look amazing. I have a fruit dessert fix (like your chocolate) so these wouldn't last long if I was around.

Chaya said...

We are huge fans of crumb cake. Cherries can only make it better.

Jamie said...

Cherries seem to be rare and very expensive this year, unfortuntely, but I have a very similar recipe sitting in my kitchen waiting to be made. I love cherries and I'd pay the extra cost for a slice of a cake like this.

mari carmen said...

Madre mía que rico!!!!!!me la guardo,muchas gracias por compartir bs

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