Fresh Cherry and Hazelnut Streusel Cakes
Fresh cherries are the highlight of all stone fruit for me and a signal that Christmas is coming up fast! These tender cakes topped with juicy cherries and crumbly, nutty streusel tick all the boxes.
INGREDIENTS
300 grams fresh cherries, halved and pitted
125 grams butter at room temperature
½ cup caster sugar
finely grated zest 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon milk
Streusel
2 tablespoons plain flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamom
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon cold butter
2 tablespoons chopped roasted hazelnuts
METHOD
Grease a 1 x 12 hole individual brownie pan or 1 x 20 cm springform cake tin
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Streusel: Put the flour, cinnamon, sugar and butter in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips to make coarse crumbs. Mix in the hazelnuts and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Cakes: Beat the butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each egg to stop it from curdling. Combine the remaining flour, salt and cardamom and gently mix into the butter mixture along with the milk. Divide the mixture between the tins (I only used 11 of the holes) and top each with 5-6 cherry halves. Sprinkle over the streusel and bake for 15 minutes until puffed and golden or about 40 – 45 minutes if baking a whole cake. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean.
To serve: When cool, remove from the tins and dust with icing sugar. Lovely served with cream or thick yoghurt. Makes about 11 cakes
The individual brownie pan is by ‘d.line’ can be purchased at kitchen ware shops and some food stores. A 12 hole standard sized muffin pan can also be used.

Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
Issue #120
As the days become shorter, and the nights cooler, the latest issue is perfectly timed to deliver delicious autumn dishes. From recipes using fresh seasonal produce such as feijoas and apples, to spectacular soothing soups and super-quick after-work meals in our Food Fast section, we’ve got you covered. With Easter on the horizon, we feature recipes that will see you through breakfast, lunch and dinner over a leisurely weekend holiday, and whip up chocolatey baking treats sure to please. We round up delicious dinners for two and showcase a hot new Korean cookbook before heading south to Dunedin to check out all that’s new in food and dining.The latest issue of dish is on sale NOW at all good bookstores and supermarkets – don’t miss it!