Cherry and Almond Cup Cakes

My family loves these cakes for a light bite. I wanted to create a cake with the taste of a cherry bakewell and I think its as close as you can get.

1. 1

   Pre-heat oven to 180 c / 350 f / gas mark 4
   
   Cream the sugar and butter together (helps if butter is at room temperature) until mixture is light and fluffy.
   Lightly beat the eggs, milk and vanilla extract together then add a small amount to the creamed sugar and butter mixture. Beat this in making sure that it is completely blended before adding more egg/milk mixture until you have added it all. You should now have a thick batter mixture.
   
   Combine the flour, ground almonds and baking powder and sieve this onto the batter and fold in gently until all the flour is combined.
   
   Cut the glace cherries into ¼’s (small ish pieces) and add to the mixture. Spoon the mixture into your cases (I use Silicone Cup Cake Moulds lightly greased) but will work just as well in cup cake cases. Place a piece of the flaked almond on the top of each cake, and place in your pre-heated oven.
   
   Cook for 15 – 20 mins until golden brown (check with skewer after 15 mins and if it comes out clean remove and cool; if not continue cooking for a further 5 mins and check again if still not coming out clean carry on cooking checking every 2 minutes until skewer comes out clean). Cool on a rack, then store in an air tight container until needed (don't normally last long in my house).