Fresh Cherry and Hazelnut Streusel Cakes

.
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.