Pound cake always reminds me of being a child. When I used to have a little extra pocket money (usually after selling picked wild berries to the neighbours) I’d head to our little village shop and buy a pound cake. This cake was yellow and moist and had a thick layer of vanilla frosting on the top, and it was utterly delicious. It wasn’t a large cake, so it wouldn’t last very long, but I could easily cut off thick slab after slab and eat the entire cake myself in a day.
Last year I discovered a fantastic little recipe in a cookery book my grandmother sent over from Canada for an unfrosted cherry pound cake, so for this recipe I halved the original recipe, converted it into UK measures, used some delightful red, green and yellow coloured candied cherries I picked up at our local whole foods shop and made a frosting which reminds me very much of the icing that used to be on top of those pound cakes.
This cake is very simple to make and would be ideal to bring to gatherings of friends and family; Christmas parties and the like. It slices really well, and keeps for a few days in an airtight container. It also freezes very well. Plus, it tastes fantastic and looks quite impressive, I think, with the coloured cherries in it. You could, if you wish, use naturally coloured glacé cherries if you wanted to avoid the food colourings.
As this would make such a great Christmas party food I am linking up with Nanya’s ‘Let’s cook Christmas party food’ linky over on her blog simply.food
I’m also sharing it over at Delicieux with the Four Season’s Food challenge co-hosted by Anneli (at Delicieux) and Louisa at Eat Your Veg. The theme for the Winter challenge is party food.
- 115 grams unsalted butter
- 115 grams full fat cream cheese
- 175 grams caster sugar
- 170 grams candied cherries, cut into 1/8ths
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 200 grams plain flour
- 250 grams icing sugar
- 6-7 tsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp butter
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 1 large loaf
Mum of three, daydream adventurer, OU Life Sciences graduate, occasional crafter, ex-pat Canadian & quite possibly Britain's most northerly food blogger.
Debbie Skerten says
Beautiful looking cake. Very festive x
Heather Haigh says
That sounds delicisous and I love how pretty the colours look.
okienurse says
Loved this recipe but can’t do gluten so I substituted gluten free all purpose baking flour…cup for cup for the regular flour and changed the fruit to dried apricots, dried dried cranberries and almonds. It was so moist and yummy! Thanks again.
Elizabeth S says
Oh that sounds amazing! I love that you’ve adapted the recipe and it worked for you, love it, love it! 🙂
Nayna Kanabar says
This looks amazing thankyou for sending it to Lets cook party food for christmas.
Elizabeth S says
Thank you Nanya! 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Anneli Faiers (Delicieux) says
Just one of the most festive looking cakes I have seen bejewelled with green and red! This would look splendid at any Christmas party! Thanks for entering it into Four Seasons Food Elizabeth and Merry Christmas to you xx
Elizabeth S says
I’m so glad you like the look of it Anneli 🙂 The last of this loaf was polished off by Santa when he delivered the children’s gifts on Christmas Eve – he liked it too 😉 Merry Christmas!
Shweet Spicess says
Love this cake to the core!!! 🙂
Elizabeth S says
Hee hee, thanks! 😀