Sunken Sour Cherry Cake

Every year when the cherries are ripe my sister Gertrud whips up this speciality. She does not remove the cherry pits, which is why this cake is known within our family by the unappetizing name of Spuckkuchen (spit cake). But when you taste this cake, its name becomes quite irrelevant.

The cherries should be tart pie cherries (the batter is sweet enough to balance them). For an excellent variation, use tart plums.

Preheat oven to 375˚F.

Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan.

Topping:

2½ cups fresh, unpitted cherries

or

1 pound pitted cherries, canned or frozen

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar

1. Drain cherries well and set aside.

2. Mix cinnamon and sugar.

Batter:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1⅓ cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

or

1 tablespoon rum

2½ cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1. Cream butter, sugar and eggs, using one of the methods here.

2. Add vanilla or rum.

3. Fold in flour and baking powder.

4. Pour the batter immediately into the prepared pan and smooth it with a spatula.

5. Distribute the cherries over the batter, pressing each down slightly to anchor it.

6. Spring the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over all.

7. Place at once in the lower middle of a preheated 375˚F oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before unmolding it onto a cake rack to cool thoroughly.

Variations. Omit the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Prepare 1½ cups of cherry or plum glaze (recipe here). Pour the glaze over the cake and let it cool.

Or sprinkle the cake generously with confectioners sugar after it has cooled.

Serving suggestion. Serve each piece with a spoonful of whipped cream.