Cherry Almond Buttermilk Cake

6 weeks ago I was the most exhausted version of myself I have ever known. It took weeks to come down off of the high that was my book coming out, and to recover from all of the travel. But now I feel like I am really getting to enjoy my summer. I can’t remember the last time that I felt that way. Well, really about any time of year! The last few have been a whirl wind, and I am so grateful for this lull in our lives to just be able to embrace my family and really feel like I can kind of take care of myself (shocking!!) for the first time in ages and ages.

While I take a break on some other creative fronts I have all this extra time. I scarcely know what to do with myself! Besides going back to gardening and hanging out with my kids, I have taken up two things.

1) Obsessive walking. Remember “Where’s Waldo”? That’s me. Minus the walking stick. I have been walking downtown, walking to the Dr, the dentist, to meet my husband for a drink after work. You name it, I walk there. It has always been my exercise of choice, I just sort of ran out of time for it. I got some new hot pink Nikes and me and my hot pink shoes are all over the place.

2) It took years of Pete begging for me to watch a single episode of Game Of Thrones on HBO. When I did I had to go back and watch all three seasons. Then I bought the first book. Then I was so into it, I bought the second book. Then I swore up and down that I wouldn’t get any more of them, because all of my obsessive reading was taking up too much time. Then I bought the third one. I just finished it last night and promptly promised I wouldn’t read any more of them. Guess what I just ordered on Amazon? It’s addictive, and I am an addict.

But cooking and writing for the blog is a joy that I really get into in the summer. I always feel like I don’t have enough days in the week to share all of the recipes from the gobs of fruit and vegetables in season right now. So I am going to squeeze in the last of some of these fruit recipes I have before the fruit is gone until next summer (apricots and cherries).

Like this incredible Cherry Almond Buttermilk Cake. It is an altered version of one of the most visited (and delicious) recipes on the site. The very simple and perfect Raspberry Buttermilk Cake. A one layer cake buttermilk cake, studded with fresh fruit that you could sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with a glaze like I did here.

I always think that this is the most perfect cake for weeknight dinners (just a simple, not too sweet dessert) but it is also special and delicious enough to serve for company, or even a brunch.

To make the Cherry Almond Buttermilk Cake, this is what you do:

Stem and Pit the cherries.

Slice the cherries in half.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9” cake pan with a parchment round and a thin coating of baking spray. In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and the almond extract and combine well.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then add them to the batter.

When the batter is well combined, Add the buttermilk and combine well. Then fold in the cherries and the almonds.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Let the cake cool and then flip over onto the serving platter and gently peel off the parchment paper.

To make the glaze:
In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract and cream until smooth and creamy. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.

Slice and serve at room temperature.