I LOVE a crumble cake. The crumble topping on this Cherry Crumble cake is AMAZING, you have to try it!
The light sponge, no-spoon-required-handleability(real word?) of a cherry cake combined with the buttery, crunchiness of a crumble pudding. Yes, this is 2 puddings in one, and all the better for it.
I love a good crumble, but I have to admit that July is not really crumble weather. So I think I’ll just add crumble toppings to everything instead – like this delicious pud, or my apple crumble cookies.
I’m also considering crumble brownies, crumble cupcakes and maybe ice cream crumble? Oh yes, that’d definitely work. Watch out for that one.
Ok, so I admit, my cherries did sink. I'd like to say that was on purpose but it wasn't. I was hoping that the thickness of the cake batter would keep some of the cherries suspended, but as I was using whole cherries, the sheer weight of them was just too much. It didn't stop the cake tasting delicious though. My grandad was literally batting people away to stop them taking second helpings so he could save himself some for the next day (sorry grandad!)
I used walnuts in the crumble topping to give it some extra crunch. Pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts or almond would also be great. I also used frozen cherries, but you can replace these with fresh cherries. If you do, then you'll need to reduce the cooking time by 10-20 minutes.
The addition of soured cream in this recipe makes for a richer, more tender cake. You can replace with buttermilk or greek/natural yoghurt if you want to.
The Cherry Crumble Cake Recipe:
Cherry Crumble Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake:
- 175 g (1 ½ cups) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 175 g (¾ cup) golden caster sugar
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 85 g (½ cup) soured cream
- 175 g (1 ½ cups minus 1 tsp) self raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 250 g (2 ¼ cups) frozen cherries - don't defrost or they'll go too soggy
Crumble topping:
- 140 g (1 cup + 2 tsp) self raising flour
- 85 g (5 ½ tbsp) cold butter - chopped into chunks
- 70 g (â…“ cup) light brown muscavado sugar
- 55 g (½ cup) chopped walnuts
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 180C/350F (fan).
- Line the base of a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin with baking parchment and put to one side.
- Make your crumble topping first. Place your butter and flour in a bowl. Rub the flour into the butter with your fingertips until you have rough breadcrumbs.140 g (1 cup + 2 tsp) self raising flour, 85 g (5 ½ tbsp) cold butter
- Add the sugar and walnut pieces and stir together. Put to one side.70 g (⅓ cup) light brown muscavado sugar, 55 g (½ cup) chopped walnuts
- Next make the cake. Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.175 g (1 ½ cups) unsalted butter, 175 g (¾ cup) golden caster sugar
- Stir in the eggs, vanilla extract and soured cream.2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 85 g (½ cup) soured cream
- Then gently fold in the flour, baking powder and salt.175 g (1 ½ cups minus 1 tsp) self raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt
- Finally stir in the frozen cherries.250 g (2 ¼ cups) frozen cherries
- Pour the cake batter into the cake tin. Spread it around so that it's reasonably level, then sprinkle the crumble topping on then place in your preheated oven for 50-65 minutes - until an inserted skewer comes out clean. TIP: It's worth covering the cake with some tinfoil after about 40 minutes to prevent the top from burning.
- Once cooked, take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes. Then remove from the tin and leave to cool further on a cooling rack.
✎ Notes
Nutrition
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Geoff Homewood says
Ok I did a rubarb version last week and I had high expectations for this one, it looked lovely once out of the oven for 60 minutes but testing the inside was completely raw it was still liquid, checked the oven temp was correct and also that it wasn’t set for grill lol but was all fine, so what did I do wrong!!!! The bit around the edge tasted amazing but what went wrong?
Also do you need to use all the topping as it made it quite deep with crumb on top
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Geoff, rhubarb releases a lot of liquid during cooking, so I expect it was too much for the cake to set in the oven. It's always worth checking with a skewer and placing it back in the oven if it's not cooked in the middle. Place foil on top if it starts to look too brown.
You can use less topping if you like - for me the crumble was an integral part of the cake, rather than just a sprinkle on top, so I wanted plenty 🙂
Eleanor says
Perfect for dessert on Fathers Day, this will make my dad very happy.
sandra says
great cake
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks Sandra 🙂
yourperfectburn says
Great post, who doesn't like a good crumble. I love to bake, but have been banned from baking due to all of those extra pounds my baking seems to create on unsuspecting wives. 🙂 I just may make this one, I am sure my wife and I will love it.
Nicky Corbishley says
Heh heh thanks! If you hold off on the cream, that kind of makes it low fat anyway doesn't it 😉
huntfortheverybest says
it looks delicious!
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks! It didn't last long...
Burneyc says
Very nice, I used fresh cherries and they still sank, think the use of soured cream (or Greek yoghurt in my case) made the cake lovely and light but not dense enough to hold the cherries. Still a lovely cake.
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks for the comment 🙂 I haven't tried fresh cherries yet, but looks like you've saved me a job there! I'll just have to do some more experimentation 🙂
Lori says
This looks soooo tasty!!
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks Lori 🙂
Ernesta @BakingSecrets says
Love crumble cakes. Think will love this one also. Saving 🙂
Nicky Corbishley says
Gotta love crumble cakes 🙂 Have you tried a rhubarb crumble cake? sooo good!! I'll be making that when I've worked off the calories from this one!!