Gluten Free: Cherry Butterfly Cakes

Some recipes are born out of whatever's in the fridge, and this is one of them. Thanks to living close to a rather exciting fruit farm, my fridge is heaving with cherries of every variety. Some of the dark Emperor Francis cherries were crying out to be used in a cake so I had to obey! It might seem strange to use cinnamon with cherries, but it actually works well with lots of different berries (try cinnamon sugar on strawberries if you don't believe me). You see, cinnamon isn't just for Christmas.

Butterfly cakes are one of the things I used make with my mum when I was younger. And by 'make', I mean, eat raw cake batter until mum took the mixing bowl from me. They're an easy way to make a good looking cake with no fancy icing and piping skills required. This all-in-one method for gluten free cakes is just the thing when you want something sweet with minimal fuss.

Cherry Butterfly Cakes (makes 12)
You'll need:

• 100g cherries, stones removed
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 125ml vegetable oil
• 150g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 100g gluten free plain flour mix
• 50g ground almonds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 125g butter
• 125g icing sugar

Make it!

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
2. Roughly chop the cherries and put them in a pan with the brown sugar, cinnamon and a tbsp water. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves and let the mixture bubble for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Mix the oil, caster sugar, eggs and 2 tbsp of the syrupy juice from the cherries in a bowl. 
4. Add the GF flour mix, ground almonds and baking powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. 
5. Divide between fairy cake cases and bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden brown and springy to the touch.
6. Leave to cool then slice the top off each cake. Cut the tops in half and set aside.
7. Whisk the butter until it's light and fluffy, add the icing sugar and fold in gently before whisking again. If you whisk it too soon you'll just end up engulfed in a cloud of icing sugar!
8. Add the cherries and remaining syrup and fold into the icing.
9. Put a blob of the icing on the cut top of each cake and push two halves of cake top into the icing to look a bit like wings.