Vegan Cherry Bakewell Cake

 This vegan cherry bakewell cake tastes just like a cherry bakewell tart. It's easy to make, super soft and fluffy with the flavours of almonds and cherry.

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Vegan Cherry Bakewell Cake

This vegan cherry bakewell tart has to be one of the best loaf cakes I've created so far.

It's just like a cherry bakewell tart but in cake form.

It really is something special.

Perfect for Mother's Day, Easter or any family get-together.

What is a Cherry Bakewell Tart?

Cherry Bakewell tart is a traditional English bake.

Shortcrust pastry tarts are topped with jam, then frangipane (an almond flavoured filling for cakes and tarts) and finished with glace icing and flaked almonds.

It originally started as a pudding made with puff pastry, then later the tart was made with shortcrust pastry.

And now we have it in cake form too.

How do you turn a Cherry Bakewell Tart into a Cake?

All the original flavours from the tart are in the cake too.

Almond flavour sponge is filled with dollops of fruity jam and cherries, then topped with icing, flaked almonds and more cherries.

The result is spot on and utterly divine!

You could even turn this mix into vegan cherry bakewell cupcakes. Just pour the batter into cupcake cases in a muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes, then decorate when cool.

Help! I don't like almonds!

Don't worry, if you don't like almonds or that almond flavour you can make a couple of wee tweaks and still have a delicious vegan cherry cake.

Instead of almond extract, use vanilla extract and you can also skip the almond decoration on top.

Icing and cherries will still look very appealing without the nuts.

What type of cherries are in a Cherry Bakewell?

Traditionally glace cherries are used.

Glace cherries are cherries soaked in a sugar syrup.

They are also called candied cherries and can be coloured too.

Can you use fresh cherries?

You could definitely use fresh cherries in this cake.

It won't have the original flavour and that pop of bright colour, but fresh cherries would definitely work.

Just make sure the cherries are ripe.

Give them a good wash and dry, then remove the pits and slice in half before adding.

How to stop the cherries from sinking in the cake

You may have had an experience where you've baked a cake and the fruit has sunk to the bottom. It is a common problem.

There is a small tip to stop this from happening.

Instead of adding the fruit, in this case, cherries, to the batter, you should toss them in the flour mixture instead.

This will stop them from sinking, as it gives the batter something to cling to.

What do you need to make a vegan cherry bakewell cake?

Here are the ingredients to make this stunning vegan cake.

• Oat milk - or your regular milk
• White wine vinegar - or lemon juice
• Almond extract
• Vegetable oil - or other mild oil
• Plain flour - also known as all-purpose flour
• Caster sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Jam
• Glace cherries
• Flaked almond
• Icing sugar - also known as confectioner's sugar

If you like a traditional loaf cake, try this Australian Fruit Cake, Coconut Lime Cake or this Pineapple Coconut Cake.

What flavour of jam?

Cherry jam might be your first guess for a Cherry Bakewell cake or tart.

Actually, raspberry jam is traditionally used in this bake.

It actually works really well.  You will see what I mean when you make this easy cake.

Icing your cherry cake

I want to say the icing is the cherry on the cake. Yep I said it!

You can either ice the whole cake top and let it drip down the sides or drizzle the icing like I did.

The icing is just a mixture or icing sugar (confectioner's sugar) and water. 

No flavouring is added, there is enough flavour in the cake.

Icing tips

It can be tricky to get glace icing just right.

Less water is the key. You always need less than you think.

Even when you have a recipe, it is best to add the water a bit at a time and not pour all the amount stated in the recipe.

You want your icing to be thick enough to coat the cake well and for it to stay pure white.

If you add too much water, it will be thin and slide off the cake, so it's worth getting this right.

No need to worry though, if you've added too much water, you can just add a bit more icing sugar.

Test it on a coloured tea plate or saucer to see if it's thick enough. 

Decorating a cherry bakewell

Icing, cherries and flaked almonds, that's all you need for this beautiful but easy vegan cake.

1. Make sure your cake is completely cool before decorating. 
2. Leave it to cool in the paper case or on the paper you lined the tin with, this will help catch any drips of icing for easy clean-up.
3. Make up your icing, making sure it is thick enough (see the above tips). then use a teaspoon to drizzle icing over the cake. I like to go back and forth diagonally, then the same from another angle.
4. Once the drizzle is on, scatter flaked almonds across the top of the cake.
5. Finish the decoration with a few of the halved cherries placed cut side down.
6. Now stand back and marvel at the wonder that is your vegan cherry cake.
7. Enjoy!

How long will a cherry bakewell keep?

A cherry bakewell cake will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

It's at its best on the day it is baked but is still soft and fluffy for a few days.

Can you freeze this cake?

Definitely freeze this cake, if you don't think you will use it all.

It freezes well in slices, wrapped individually in freezer-friendly baking paper, then pop them in a freezer bag or tub.

To defrost, just take a slice out of the freezer and pop it in the fridge.

I would skip the decoration if you are going to freeze the cake though.

Reader's Photos

Sometimes my readers are kind enough to share photos of my recipes once they have tried them and often with lovely comments too.

Share in my Facebook group Living on the Veg, emailed to me or shared on my Facebook page or Twitter. 

I love to see them.

Here are a few reader's photos and comments for this easy cherry cake.

Reader's Photo #1

Reader's Photo #2

Reader's Photo #3

More vegan loaf cakes

Here are a few more delicious vegan cake recipes for you to try after you have tried this cherry bakewell cake.

They are all super easy to make with no fancy ingredients and they only take minutes to make.

1. Apple Loaf Cake
2. Banoffee Pie Loaf Cake
3. Blackberry Lime Drizzle Lime Cake
4. Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake
5. Carrot Loaf Cake with Orange Icing
6. Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
7. Chocolate Loaf Cake
8. Coconut Loaf Cake
9. Jaffa Cake Orange Cake
10. Lemon Drizzle Cake
11. Sticky Golden Syrup Loaf Cake
12. Treacle Banana Gingerbread

To find all my loaf cakes and tips for making the best loaf cakes, go to my article Easy Vegan Loaf Cake Recipes.

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How to Make Vegan Cherry Bakewell Cake

Scroll down for step-by-step photos followed by a full printable recipe. If you don't have a printer, hit print then save as a PDF.

Step 1

• Preheat the oven and line a 2 lb (900g) loaf tin (full ingredients and method in the printable recipe card below).
• Add the milk and vinegar (or lemon juice) to a jug.
• In a large mixing bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Step 2

1. Mix the dry ingredients well, then add the glace cherries and toss in the flour. The flour will stop them sinking in the cake.
2. Add almond extract and oil to the milk.

Step 3

1. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold in with a spatula or spoon until just combined. Do not overmix.
2. Pour a third of the batter into the lined tin and top with dollops of jam

Step 4

1. Pour in another third of the batter and top with more dollops of jam.
2. Now pour over the rest of the batter and bake until risen and golden. Use a skewer or toothpick to check if it is ready. If there is batter when inserted into the middle (ignore any jam), then it needs longer. Cover with foil if you pop the cake back in the oven.
3. Leave to cook in the pan for 10 minutes, then place on a baking rack to continue cooling. Leave in the paper case for decorating.

Step 5

1. Make up the icing, making sure it's thick enough.
2. Drizzle the top of the cooled cake with icing.
3. Scatter some almond flakes over the top of the cake, then add a few glace cherries.
4. Slice and enjoy!

vegan cake, vegan cherry bakewell. vegan cherry cake, vegan loaf cake,

dessert

British, vegan

Yield: 8 - 10 slices

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Vegan Cherry Bakewell Cake

This vegan cherry bakewell cake tastes just like a cherry bakewell tart. It's easy to make, super soft and fluffy with the flavours of almonds and cherry.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 H & 10 MTotal time: 1 H & 20 M

Ingredients

Cake Batter

• 300ml (1 1/4 cups) oat milk (or your regular milk)
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 75ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil (or other mild oil)
• 300g (1 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
• 250g (1 1/4 cups) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 200g (1 cup) glace cherry halves (reserve a few for decoration)
• 6 tsp raspberry jam

Decoration (optional)300

• 3 tablespoons icing (confectioner's sugar)
• 1 - 2 teaspoons water
• 1 teaspoon flaked almonds
• a few of the reserved cherries

Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 170c / 150c fan / 325f / gas mark 3 and line a 2 lb (900g) loaf tin.
2. Measure the milk into a jug and add the vinegar or lemon juice.
3. Add the flour, sugar, baking sugar, and salt to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
4. Now add the cherries and stir in to coat in flour.
5. Add the almond extract and oil to the milk and stir.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold in until just combined. Do not overmix.
7. Pour a third of the batter into the prepared loaf tin and top with dollops of raspberry jam, spaced out.
8. Pour in another third of batter and top with more dollops of jam, before pouring in the rest of the cake batter.
9. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Ovens and shelf position varies, so do check the cake after 1 hour. Insert a skewer or toothpick into the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean of batter (ignore jam), then it is ready, if it needs longer cover with foil and pop back in. Your cake may even need longer.
10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before moving to a baking rack to continue cooling. Leave in the paper, as it will catch any drippy icing when you decorate the cake.

Decorations

1. Now to decorate the cake. Once it is completely cool, make up the icing.
2. Add the icing sugar (confectioner's sugar) to a bowl and add the water a little at a time. You might not need it all. You want the icing to be thick but thin enough to drizzle.
3. Drizzle the icing across the cooled cake, then scatter almonds across the top and add a few of the reserved cherries.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

To decorate or not to decorate

You can leave this as a plain cherry cake or add all the decorations.

Storing cake

This cake will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freezing cake

This cake freezes well in slices, wrapped individually in freezer-friendly baking paper, then pop them in a freezer bag or tub. To defrost, just take a slice out of the freezer and pop it in the fridge. I would skip the decoration if you are going to freeze the cake though.

Calories (no decorations)

8 slices = 257 calories

9 slices = 229 calories

10 slices = 206 calories

Calories (with decorations - icing, almonds & cherries)

8 slices = 285 calories

9 slices = 255 calories

10 slices = 228 calories

Nutrition Facts

Calories

228.17

Fat (grams)

9.07

Sat. Fat (grams)

1.34

Carbs (grams)

32.73

Fiber (grams)

1.58

Net carbs

31.15

Sugar (grams)

8.19

Protein (grams)

3.92

Sodium (milligrams)

69.53

Cholesterol (grams)

0

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