Preparation

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  <strong>To make the cake:</strong>
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  1.
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  Preheat the oven to 190 degrees, 170 degrees fan oven. Place 12 muffin cases into a 12 hole cupcake tin
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  you do need the larger cases made for muffins, you’ll find that normal cake cases are too small.
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  2.
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  Melt the butter gently over a low heat, giving it a swirl if it begins to bubble.
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  3.
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  Whilst the butter is melting, whisk the yoghurt, eggs and almond extract together in an electric mixer, getting lots of air into the mix.
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  4.
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  When the butter is just about melted, pour it into the egg mixture whilst continuing to whisk
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  if the butter has been melted over a very low heat this shouldn’t scramble the eggs!
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  5.
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  Weigh the flour, sugar, almonds and baking powder into a bowl and add them a tablespoon at a time to the egg mixture, continuing to mix until everything is incorporated.
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  6.
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  Spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin case.
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  7.
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  Then spoon a teaspoon of cherry jam into each case
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  this will create a cherry layer in the finished cake.
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  8.
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  Divide the remaining mixture between the 12 cases
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  this should fill the cases to about three quarters full.
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  9.
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  Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown on the top and springy to the touch.
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  10.
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  Remove from the oven and leave on a wire rack to cool completely.
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  <strong>To make the icing:</strong>
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  1.
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  Weigh the icing sugar into a mixing bowl.
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  2.
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  Pour a very small amount of water into the sugar and mix with a metal spoon. Add just a little water at a time until you reach the desired consistency, stirring constantly, to prevent the icing from becoming runny. It does need to be thick.
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  3.
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  Use a mug of warm water to gently heat the knife before spreading the icing on top of each cake.
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  4.
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  Decorate each cake by putting a cherry in the centre of the icing.