Recipe

Cherry and sultana buns

Cherry and sultana buns are one of my grandson’s favourite cakes. The buns are very more-ish. I usually make a double batch and freeze them in packs of six. The recipe is for 12 buns.

You can also substitute gluten-free flour for the flour in the base. All the other ingredients are gluten free.

Ingredients

Base

  • 3 oz plain flour
  • 1 oz caster sugar
  • 2 oz butter

Filling

  • 1 oz sultanas: the original recipe used currants, but I prefer sultanas as they are juicier
  • 12 glace cherries quartered

Topping

  • 2 oz butter: I use soft butter as it is much easier to work with.
  • 2 oz caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 3 oz ground almonds
  • a few flaked almonds

Method

Put paper muffin cake cases into a 12 space bun tray. Set the oven to 180 c

Put the flour in a bowl with the sugar and work in the butter as though you were making a crumble. When the mixture starts to stick together, sprinkle it into the cake cases and press down into an even layer.

Scatter the sultanas and cherry pieces on top.

For the topping, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.   Add the egg and beat well into the mixture.  Stir in the ground almonds.

Spoon the mixture over the sultanas and cherries, making sure it covers the fruit and is smooth. I forgot to smooth it one time and there were sultanas poking out at the sides – the buns still tasted OK. Sprinkle a few flaked almonds on the top of each bun.

Bake the buns at 180 for 15 minutes, until just set and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

They will keep for a few days in an airtight tin or they can be frozen – if you have any left over.

Enjoy!

Recipe

Cherry slice

My grandson loves glace cherries so I made these cherry slices for him. He is coming to play tomorrow so I prepared these specially for him.

Ingredients

ingredients

  • 3 oz plain flour
  • 1 oz caster sugar
  • 2 oz butter
  • 3oz glace cherries

Topping

  • 2 oz butter
  • 2 oz caster sugar
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 2 oz ground almonds

Method

Set the oven to 170C fan, 190C or 375F

Line and grease the base of a shallow tin – approximately 12 x 4 inches or an 8 inch round tin.

Put the flour into a bowl, add the sugar and mix together. Rub in the butter until the mixture binds together.

mix base until binds together

Press into the tin in an even layer. Place the halved or quartered cherries evenly over the base.

add base and cherries to pan

Make the topping by creaming the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

mix sugar and butter

Add the egg a little at a time, beating really well.

beat in egg

Fold in the ground almonds.

add ground almonds

Spread the mixture evenly over the cherries.

spread over base

Place in the oven for about 35 minutes until the cake is set and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

bake until golden

Cut into pieces when cold. This can either be eaten as a cake or with thick cream or ice cream as a dessert.

eat as cake or dessert

Enjoy!

Adapted from Good Housekeeping Easy-stages Cook Book 1972