Cherry and Almond Mini Loafs - Picnic 2020 Collab

I was so excited to host this collab, mainly because I knew there were so amazing food bloggers that were a part of it and I could not wait to see what they created.
Also picnics have been a godsend during the lockdown, even if they are just held on your living room rug, back garden or coffee table. The kids faces just light up if you mention the word picnic. Going forward into summer, I think picnics will be a staple for many day outs, and they are also perfect for social distancing, when meeting up with others.

In those days, pre covid when we would socialise with friends and family, I would also take along a cake or some type of baked goods to any gathering. Knowing that everyone loves homemade goodies, and its always polite to arrive bearing something sweet.

So when it came to my own creation for this collab, I knew I wanted to go back to my favourite thing to do in the kitchen, which is bake. Recently, especially during lockdown I have been focusing more on the dinner ideas, but my real true love is being surrounded by cakes, and the smell of freshly made ones coming out of the oven.

I have created a few recipes that are both picnic and social distancing friendly, with a large cake often being hard to share out, without using gloves, these mini loafs are perfect for individuals to pick up themselves and enjoy.

They remind me of the classic mr kipling cherry bakewell tarts, but instead of pastry you get a light and fluffy cherry cake instead.

Ingredients:

Makes 6 Mini Loafs

Cakes
100g Stork
100g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 Lemon Juice
1 tsp Almond Essence
100g Self Raising Flour
75g Ground Almonds
75g Glace Cherries

Icing
100g Icing Sugar
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Water
3 Glace Cherries

Method:

1.Wash, rinse and dry your cherries, halve 3 for decoration and quarter the remaining cherries and coat lightly in a pinch of flour.
2.Take a mini loaf tin and grease, preheat over to 160Fan/Gas Mark 3
3.In a stand mixer combine stork and caster sugar for 6-7 minutes until light and fluffy.
4.Add in eggs, lemon juice and essence.
5.Add in flour and ground almonds and combine until mixed - 1/2 minutes.
6. Add in cherries for a final mix.
7.Place in tray and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Allow to cool completely.
9. Mix together icing, add on top along with half a cherry.