A soft, crumbly almond cake with a layer of amaretto soaked cherries! Drizzled with a cherry glaze and optionally a dollop of fresh whipped cream. This dessert is light and yet, completely satisfying especially with a cup of coffee or tea.
Macerate the pitted cherries in a bowl with sugar, amaretto, and a pinch of salt. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, drain the liquid and transfer a tablespoon of the juice to a small bowl, along with the milk and confectioners sugar. Whisk together to form a glaze.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, whisk together the AP flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt and set it aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time and then the lemon juice, and almond extract. Break up the almond paste as much as possible and add it into the wet ingredients. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
Prep an 8-inch springform cake pan by putting a piece of circular parchment paper on the bottom and greasing it. Spread about ¾ of the cake batter evenly on the bottom. Create a layer of macerated cherries, and then layer the rest of the cake batter. Sprinkle the top with coarse granulated sugar.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, inserting a toothpick into the middle and checking if it comes out clean for doneness. Allow the cake to thoroughly cool on a rack. Drizzle the amaretto cherry glaze once the cake has cooled.
(Optional) Whip together the amaretto, heavy cream, and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Add a dollop to a slice.
Notes
The cake is not meant to have a ton of height. Ensure you're using an 8 inch cake pan or smaller so that there's enough cake batter.
Break up the almond paste with a brick and mortar, food processor, or a fork before adding it in to prevent clumps.