“Cherries and marzipan are a classic union, only enhanced by the sweet floral edge of green cardamom” ~ Multi award-winning author Eleanor Ford shares her recipe from her book 'A Whisper of Cardamom'. 

~ Gather Your Ingredients ~

FOR THE CAKE

300g (101⁄2oz) marzipan

250g (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing

100g (31⁄2oz) caster sugar

1⁄2 tsp fine sea salt

15–20 Chola Cardamom pods, seeds ground [Add to cart]

1 tsp almond extract

150g (1 cup) plain flour, plus more for dusting

2 tsps baking powder

100g (31⁄2oz) maraschino, amarena or cocktail cherries

FOR THE ICING (optional)

200g (7oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar

2 tsps cherry liqueur, amaretto or water

~ Preparation Instructions ~

1. Grease a 1.5-litre (6-cup) bundt tin extravagantly with melted butter or oil and dust with flour, tipping out the excess. Heat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan (325°F).

2. Cut the marzipan and butter into chunks and put in a food processor with the sugar, salt and cardamom. Process until smooth, stopping to agitate and scrape as needed. Add the eggs, almond extract, flour and baking powder and blitz again to an even batter.

3. Drain the cherries and dry on kitchen paper. Dust with a little flour and toss (which will help prevent them sinking).

4. Scrape about three-quarters of the batter into the tin, scatter over the cherries and top with the remaining batter. Rap on the work top a few times to knock out any air holes and level the surface.

5. Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the top is golden and springy and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before gently pulling the cake from the edges. Turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

6. Mix the icing sugar with just enough of your chosen liquid to make a runny icing, then drizzle and swirl over the cooled cake.