Frieda's children had grown up and moved out. She spent a lot of time working in her garden. She'd always pause to say hello as I passed her house on my way to the park, with 4-year-old Lauren helping me push baby Dave and two-year-old Amy in a double stroller. One day, Frieda invited us in for a slice of the cherry cake she'd baked that morning for her son, who was visiting later. Lauren and Amy were excited to be invited to a real "tea party" (Dave slept through it all.) Frieda gave us her recipe.
- 8oz (225 g) bottled, stoned Morello cherries (or fresh pie cherries)
- 5 eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
- 6 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- powdered (icing) sugar
Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Drain bottled cherries: pour into a strainer over a bowl to separate from juice.
If using fresh cherries, remove pits, wash, and cook in a pot of water till slightly soft. Add sugar to taste if the cherries are very tart. Remove from the pot, drain, allow to cool.
If using fresh cherries, remove pits, wash, and cook in a pot of water till slightly soft. Add sugar to taste if the cherries are very tart. Remove from the pot, drain, allow to cool.
In a large bowl, beat 5 egg yolks and half the sugar for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter and remove from heat to cool.
Beat the butter into the egg/sugar mixture.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking powder.
Fold the dry ingredients into the egg yolk mixture.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff.
Add the rest of the granulated sugar, to the beaten egg whites.
Beat again till stiff.
Fold the beaten egg whites into the egg/sugar/flour mixture.
Turn the batter into the greased and floured pan.
Scatter the cherries over the cake.
Lightly press cherries into the batter with end of a wooden spoon.
Cherries will sink into the batter while baking.
Bake 50-60 minutes in preheated oven.
Turn out onto a cake rack to cool.
Sift powdered sugar over the cooled cake.
