Cherry Cake.......and baking CAN be therapeutic

Headaches and migraines are my worst enemy!! Duh! Hate it when it attacks me .....and this time for a straight 2-day.....geez! it really spoils my day and not to mention, my mood too! Anyway, enough said about that stupid 'headache' of mine.......even the word 'headache' makes me 'geram' (angry) *tongue*

What is the best solution to headache.....Panadol 500mg , Uphamol 650mg and the list goes on.....*sigh*.......thank goodness, this time while I'm about to bang my head to the wall to ease the pain, I suddenly thought of a phrase that I have heard or seen somewhere during my blog walking......"Baking can be therapeutic". Well, no harm trying right, I mean wouldn't it be 10x better than swallowing tablets every 4 hour? OK, I will give it a try, I told myself........after all I have seen this post by Wendy just yesterday, and it had indeed caught my attention. This is looks very 'pretty' in her photo and it's called 'Maria's Cherry Cake'.....interesting huh? I have always been curios as to why some cakes are named after someone......hmmm, there must be a story behind it, hope Wendy will tell me one day, LOL (Kidding, Wendy)  ^-^

By the way, this is the first time (since I started baking) I used 'fresh' cherries to bake, as you know lah, Malaysia with this kind of 'sunny all year round' climate, it is impossible to have berries and of course cherries. To want them, you will have to pay a high $$ to get a punnet, and it's not that nice looking and fresh when it reaches your hand :(

Because of this recipe, I drove straight to 'Pick & Pay' store that is just outside my house to get a punnet, and it cost me RM10.59 ( I think it's only about 20 cherries in it, and minus 2 rotten ones). Well, who cares......I wanna a therapeutic bake....right now!! LOL......

This is the original version and the following one have been altered 'a little' by me. So, be free to try both if you like and let me if there is a difference or not, ok?

CHERRY CAKE

Adapted from 'Table for 2'and recipe source from Cakes & Dessert by MPH Publishing 1987

Ingredients:

250gm fresh cherries, cut into halves and seeds removed

100gm butter, softened at room temperature

140gm castor sugar (Original recipe calls for 200gm)

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 Tbsp grated lemon zest

2 medium eggs

100ml non-fat yogurt (**This is not listed in the original recipe, I added as I have it in the fridge and to avoid it going expired in a day or two)

200gm All purpose flour (I used HK Flour)

1/3 tsp baking powder

Some icing sugar for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat  oven to 150degree Celsius and prepare a 9" inch baking pan.  Line the base and lightly grease the sides.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add in the eggs, one by one and mixing well.
4. Add in the vanilla essence and lemon zest and turn the mixer to low.
5. Sift in the flour and baking powder and slowly mix until well combined. Remember to scrape the sides of the bowl.
6. Spread the batter onto the prepared baking pan and arrange the cherries on top, do not press/ insert it in.
7. Bake at 160 degree Celsius for 50 minutes or until the skewer inserted to the center comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool on the wire rack for about 20 minutes, and dust the icing sugar on top before serving.

 

Happy Baking........believe me, baking is therapeutic!! hehe.....