
Ingredients
- 30 g of salted butter
- 1 tbsp of thyme, leaves only, plus 1 tsp
- 300 g of frozen sweet cherries
- 70 g of light brown soft sugar, plus 2 tbsp
- 100 g of plain flour
- 4 medium eggs
- 200 ml of semi-skimmed or whole milk
- 1 tbsp of demerara sugar
- 1 tbsp of icing sugar, for dusting (optional)
- 0.5 tsp of baking powder
- 0.5 tsp of vanilla bean paste
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Place the butter and 1 tbsp thyme leaves in a medium pan over a high heat and cook for 2-3 mins, until bubbling. Pour into a 23cm round cake tin or baking dish and spread over the base and sides using a pastry brush or spatula.Step 2
Tip the still-frozen cherries and 2 tbsp light brown soft sugar into the tin or dish and toss to coat. Place on a baking tray to catch any drips and bake in the oven for 10 mins.Step 3
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the 70g light brown soft sugar, flour, eggs, baking powder, vanilla bean paste and 1 tsp thyme leaves, until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk until combined; pour the batter over the cherries.Step 4
Sprinkle over the demerara sugar, then bake for 30 mins, until golden. Dust with icing sugar if you like and serve warm, or leave to cool and cut into pieces for an afternoon treat.