Cherry Loaf Cake (Newfoundland)

A big local favourite especially during the Holidays. The secret in this recipe is undiluted evaporated milk for added richness.

1 lb glacé cherries, chopped (~ 2½ cups) + ¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1½ cups butter
2 cups Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Granular)
3 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. pure almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 cup evaporated milk, lukewarm, undiluted

Preheat an oven to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3). Grease and flour a spring form pan, tube pan or two 9x5" loaf pans, lined with parchment paper.

Rinse the cherries in a colander to remove any syrup that they may have been stored in. Pat them day between layers of paper towels. This step helps prevent the cherries sinking into the batter as well. Depending on their size, cut them into halves or quarters and set aside for later. They will get tossed in ¼ cup of flour later but not until just before they are folded into the batter.

Cream together the butter and sugar well.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and pure almond extracts.

Sift together the 3 cups of flour and baking powder.

Fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with the lukewarm milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. As a general rule, I add the dry ingredients in 3 portions and the milk in 2 portions.

Fold in the glacé cherries, chopped that have been tossed at the last minute in the ¼ cup flour.

Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour depending upon the size of your cake pans. Baking times vary greatly on this recipe so rely on the toothpick test to ensure that it is properly baked. When a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, its done. Be careful not to go past this stage or the cake will be dry.

Let the cake cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Cook’s Notes:

To make three, 8x4" loaf cakes, use the ingredient amounts below.

21 oz glacé cherries, chopped (~ 3½ cups) + ⅓ cup flour
2 cups butter
2⅔ cups sugar
4 eggs
2½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
2½ tsp. pure almond extract
4 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 tsp. baking powder
1⅓ cups evaporated milk, lukewarm, undiluted