Prepare the oven and pans: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and flour a round 9-inch cake pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer. This step is essential to ensure a tender, light texture in your cake.
Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a bit curdled at this point—that’s completely normal.
Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the flour mixture. Fold in the vanilla extract (and lemon zest or almond extract, if using).
Fold in the cherries: Gently fold in the cherries, being careful not to break them up too much. If using fresh cherries, try to coat them with a little flour before folding them into the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine, but no wet batter). The cake should be golden brown on top and slightly pulling away from the edges of the pan.
Cool the cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Optional finishing touch: Once the cake is completely cool, dust with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar or serve with whipped cream for added indulgence.
History and Formation of Cherry Butter Cake:
The cherry butter cake, like many classic cakes, is a product of combining simple ingredients to create something far greater than the sum of its parts. Originating in the late 19th century in European bakeries, cakes with fruit and butter were popular because they preserved fresh fruit in the off-season. Cherries, being a seasonal fruit, were often used in cakes that had a buttery, rich base, and the cherry butter cake became a staple in the American South and parts of Europe.
The history of using butter and fruit together dates back centuries, but it was during the Victorian era that cakes like this began to find their way into home kitchens, particularly for special occasions. This recipe reflects a tradition of celebrating the natural sweetness of fruit in a simple, yet decadent, cake form.
Lovers of the Cake:
