100g/3½oz bag blanched almonds200g/7oz butter, softened
225g/8oz golden caster sugar
3 eggs
200g/7oz self-raising flour
255g/9oz glacé cherries, halved
55g/2oz flaked almonds
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
Put the almonds on a baking tray in one layer and toast in the oven for 7-8 minutes until golden. Do not leave them any longer or they will brown too much and taste bitter. Tip the almonds in a food processor and whizz until finely ground.3. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together for 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time with a little of the flour, beating well between each addition. (Adding a little of the flour helps to stop the mixture curdling.) Fold in the almonds and the remaining flour. Use a large metal spoon for this, taking care not to knock out too much air. Gently stir in the halved glacé cherries until they are evenly distributed through the mixture. Spoon the mixture into cupcake liners and smooth the top with a palette knife or the back of a metal spoon. This helps give an even rise. Cover with the flaked almonds then bake the cakes in the centre of the oven for 18 minutes.
