A Canadian Holidays Traditional Cake!

(Wild) Cherry Sponge Cake

INGREDIENTS

1. 4 medium beets2 1/2 cups (about 1 lb) glacé wild or regular cherries + 60 ml (1/4 cup) flour
2. 375 ml / 345 g (1 1/2 cups) butter
3. 500 ml (2 cups) sugar
4. 3 eggs
5. 10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract
6. 2 tsp almond extract
7. 750 ml / 450 g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
8. 1 1/2 (7 ml) tsp baking powder
9. 1 cup (250 ml) lukewarm, undiluted evaporated milk

PREPARATION

1. With the rack at the bottom position, preheat the oven to 325 °F (160 °C).
2. If cherries are in syrup, strain them well in a colander while keeping the syrup and rince them well. Wipe them between layers of paper towels to remove any excess liquid and prevent them from sinking into the batter. Cut them into small pieces of about 1/4 in (1/2 cm) each. Set aside.
3. Cream well the butter and sugar together.
4. Add the eggs one by one and beat well after each addition until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
6. On the side, mix well and sift the 3 cups of flour and baking powder.
7. Fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with the lukewarm milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. As a general rule, I add the dry ingredients in 3 portions and the milk in 2 portions.
8. Toss the glacé chopped cherries into the 1/4 cup of flour and fold them in while mixing well.
9. Grease, flour and line with parchment paper a tube pan or two (2) 9x5 inch loaf pans and pour the mixture.
10. Bake for 45-60 minutes, depending upon the size of your cake pan(s). After about 45 minutes, prick the cake with a toothpick. If it comes out dry, the cake is ready. If not, repeat this step every 5 minutes with a new toothpick until it comes out completely dry.
11. Let the cake cool in the pan(s) for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.