Moist Macadamia and Cherry Loaf Bottom Cake

You may ask why I have a cherry bottomed cake?

Some of you will know that Glace / Candied cherries are NOTORIOUS for sinking to the bottom during baking, and I have yet to succeed in getting my cherries to stay nicely distributed throughout the cake, unless I make a cake with a 'stiffer' batter, which would mean using more flour, and making it dry... so I decided to embrace Mother Nature and go with the gravity thing and deliberately line the bottom of my tin with the cherries!

In the cake batter, I have lovely creamy Macadamia nuts, and oh, they are delicious. Then you get to the base and it has the distinct texture and taste that only glace cherries can give. So in my mind, going with nature as opposed to fighting it can work to your advantage, at least in this case it certainly has.

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You will need a loaf tin, mine measures 30cm x 12cm, and 8cm deep. (12 inch pan)
The batter may also fit in a 9 inch loaf pan. If you have any left over, make some cup cakes!

Ingredients:

The Cake Batter:
¾ cup or 175 g softened butter
¾ cup or 175 ml milk
1 ½ cups or 290 g regular sugar
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
½ cup or 100 g Candied Cherries, cut in halves
1 Tablespoon pouring Honey
½ cup or 100 g Macadamia Nuts, chopped roughly (large chunks)
1 ¾ cups or 225 g Plain / All purpose flour (sieved)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

The Syrup:
(optional but gives it an extra hit of moistness)
1 Teaspoon of honey
2 Tablespoons hot water

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 180c,  350F. Grease and line your baking tin. See here for how to line.
** Please note, if using a Bundt tin, be sure to grease it very well as it can be hard to get the cake out of such a shaped tin.

2. Get all your ingredients ready, i.e chop the nuts, halve the cherries, sieve the flour, and add the salt and baking powder to the flour etc.

Moist Macadamia and Cherry Loaf Bottom Cake

Moist Macadamia and Cherry Loaf Bottom Cake

3. Start with making the cake batter by creaming the butter and sugar until a pale light color.

4. Slowly add the beaten eggs to the mixer, on a low-speed setting, a bit at a time. If the mixture starts to curdle or split, add a spoonful of your sieved flour, keep on adding the eggs, and a bit of flour if necessary until all the eggs are added. Add the vanilla extract.

5. Add half the milk with half of the flour, keeping the mixer on a slow speed. Once combined, add the macadamia nuts, the rest of the milk and flour.

6. Distribute the cherries evenly on the bottom of the pan, then drizzle 1 Tablespoon of honey over them.

If you want to try and have your cherries distributed throughout the cake, you will need to give them a good dusting of flour and also cut them into quarters, and they MAY not sink, but I can't guarantee that! Add them at the same time you add the nuts.

7. Transfer the cake mixture to the greased and lined loaf tin. Place in the oven for 50 - 55 minutes, check after 50 minutes. ***** Please note, if using a Bundt tin, cook time is 45 minutes approx.

7a. Have a cup of tea!

8. Now make the syrup by adding hot water to the honey in a small cup and stir until it's combined.

9. When the cake is done, take it out of the oven and leave in the cake tin until cool. Using a skewer, prick holes all over the top of the cake, pushing the skewer through to the bottom of the cake. Gently pour the syrup mixture all over the surface of the cake, distributing evenly.

The liquid will be quickly absorbed by the cake. The syrup will keep the cake moist and also give it a nice glossy shine. If you think there is too much syrup for your cake, don't use all of it. Often it will depend on the size of your cake, how much it has risen, what size loaf pan you have used. I used a large loaf pan, so needed all the syrup.

Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container. This cake is best eaten the following day, although it doesn't usually last that long!

Moist Macadamia and Cherry Loaf Bottom Cake

Moist Macadamia and Cherry Loaf Bottom Cake
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 
Servings: 10
Ingredients
The Cake Batter:
  • ¾ cup or 175 g softened butter
  • ¾ cup or 175 ml milk
  • 1 ½ cups or 290 g regular sugar
  • 3 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • ½ cup or 100 g Candied Cherries cut in halves
  • 1 Tablespoon pouring Honey
  • ½ cup or 100 g Macadamia Nuts chopped roughly (large chunks)
  • 1 ¾ cups or 225 g Plain / All purpose flour sieved
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
The Syrup:
  • 1 Teaspoon of honey
  • 2 Tablespoons hot water
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 180c, 350F. Grease and line your baking tin.

  2. ** Please note, if using a Bundt tin, be sure to grease it very well as it can be hard to get the cake out of such a shaped tin.
  3. Get all your ingredients ready, i.e chop the nuts, halve the cherries, sieve the flour, and add the salt and baking powder to the flour etc.
  4. Start with making the cake batter by creaming the butter and sugar until a pale light colour.
  5. Slowly add the beaten eggs to the mixer, on a low speed setting, a bit at a time. If the mixture starts to curdle or split, add a spoonful of your sieved flour, keep on adding the eggs, and a bit of flour if necessary, until all the eggs are added.
  6. Add the vanilla extract.Add half the milk with half of the flour, keeping the mixer on a slow speed. Once combined, add the macadamia nuts, the rest of the milk and flour.
  7. Distribute the cherries evenly on the bottom of the pan, then drizzle 1 Tablespoon of honey over them.
  8. If you want to try and have your cherries distributed throughout the cake, you will need to give them a good dusting of flour and also cut them into quarters, and they MAY not sink, but I can't guarantee that! Add them at the same time you add the nuts.
  9. Transfer the cake mixture to the greased and lined loaf tin. Place in the oven for 50 - 55 minutes,
    check after 50 minutes. ***** Please note, if using a Bundt tin, cook time is 45 minutes approx.

  10. Have a cup of tea!
  11. Now make the syrup by adding hot water to the honey in a small cup and stir until it's combined.
  12. When the cake is done, take it out of the oven and leave in the cake tin until cool. Using a skewer, prick holes all over the top of the cake, pushing the skewer through to the bottom of the cake. Gently pour the syrup mixture all over the surface of the cake, distributing evenly. The liquid will be quickly absorbed by the cake. The syrup will keep the cake moist and also give it a nice glossy shine. If you think there is too much syrup for your cake, don't use all of it. Often it will depend on the size of your cake, how much it has risen, what size loaf pan you have used. I used a large loaf pan, so needed all the syrup.
  13. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container. This cake is best eaten the following day, although it doesn't usually last that long!
Moist Macadamia & Cherry Bottom Loaf Cake, Line the bottom of your pan with delicious cherries and add all the other goodies and you end up with a delicious super moist cake, full of wonderful flavours!
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