I’d accept the argument that when you buy a carton of picked-this-morning, super plump, red juice-running-down-your-chin cherries, it’s best just to pop the suckers in your mouth and enjoy them the way nature intended.
But then again, everyone loves a good cake. Especially a good old-fashioned cake. And especially a cake scented with sweet, sweet almond and dotted with the deepest, darkest, prettiest Morello cherries that man can grow.
My recommendation? Buy a carton to snack on and to have a pit-spitting contest with, then buy a second carton to bake this cake:
Hardanger Cherry-Almond Cake
It’s easy and straightforward, kind of like all the best things in life- coloring books, riding a bike, hot dogs on the grill.....
I’ll bet you a carton of the best Hardanger cherries that you have a majority of the ingredients for this cake in your cupboard as we speak. Sugar? Flour? Almond extract? Baking powder and baking soda? A sack of sliced almonds? Yea, I thought so. Double check that you have the eggs and sour cream before picking up the cherries from the store (or even better, from the farmer’s market or roadside stand) and we’re ready to go!
I gave this cake the powdered sugar treatment, but feel free to doll it up a bit with a scoop of good ice cream or some freshly whipped cream. Also- if you’re having trouble finding some fresh cherries (or just don’t want to put on the shoes and pants required to go to the store), go ahead and use some frozen or canned cherries- but you may want to thicken them up with some cornstarch before adding them to the batter.
Hardanger Cherry-Almond Cake
Hardanger Morell- og Mandlekake
*makes one- round 10” cake
1 cup (200g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick/115g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240g) sour cream
1 1/2 lb. (680g) fresh, pitted cherries (alternately, frozen or canned cherries thickened with a little cornstarch)
1/2 cup (2 ounces/ 50g) thinly sliced almonds, toasted
*powdered sugar, ice cream or whipped cream to serve
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175C. Butter a 10-inch springform pan.
2. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light. Add eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat well. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Mix half of dry ingredients into butter mixture. Mix in sour cream, then remaining dry ingredients.
3. Pour 2/3 of batter (about 2 cups) into prepared pan. Drop cherries by tablespoons evenly over batter. Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over pie filling. Using back of spoon, carefully spread batter over filling. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on rack. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and store at room temperature.)
What a tasty looking pie. I hope the red color came off your hands!
Posted by: Palidor | August 03, 2009 at 12:58 AM
I know someone with a birthday on Wednesday, and I may have to give this a try. Except how will I get to taste it if I give it away? Nevermind, he can have cupcakes instead!
Posted by: Heather | August 03, 2009 at 02:17 PM
Looks good, Siri...I've posted some photos of the cheese slicer you sent me in my blog by the way and written just a little bit about your blog. :)
Posted by: Murasaki Shikibu | August 04, 2009 at 10:41 AM
What a delicious looking cake - it is hard to beat cherries and almonds!
Posted by: Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen | August 06, 2009 at 08:36 PM
Sounds like a really yummy cake, I am going to make it fo my Mum's birthday in a few weeks time so will let you know how it goes. Cheers, Selina Smith
Posted by: Selina Smith | October 25, 2009 at 08:35 AM
This is a good looking cake! I love the colors and the cherries and almond.
Posted by: dining tables | January 17, 2011 at 07:18 AM
I gave this recipe a try last weekend and it was delicious! I used frozen cherries and look forward to trying it again with fresh when they become available.
Posted by: KatieB | February 18, 2011 at 07:07 PM
Really gorgeous recipe - I made it with gluten free flours and a bit more liquid. Also used cherries from a jar. I found that cherries all dropped to bottom - does that happen to you too? If not, would you share your secret!?! Big thank you!
Posted by: Bee's Cakery | April 25, 2012 at 11:04 PM
Bee- wow! Hardanger cake gone gluten free, I'm intrigued. Is the addition of more liquid on account of the gluten free flour? Pehaps that made the batter too thin and allowed the cherries to drop? That would be my guess. -SiRi
Posted by: siri | April 27, 2012 at 03:44 PM