Annie Bell's Cherry Tea Loaf

For that little corner of your heart that is forever red. All in time for cherry day on Saturday...

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   1. Have ready a 22cm loaf tin about 1.3 litre capacity (or equivalent). Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/375F/gas 5.
   2. Brush the inside of the loaf tin with a little of the melted butter and line the base with baking paper (if your tin is nonstick there is no need to do this).
   3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl, then add the almond essence and cream. Sift the flour and baking powder together and gradually fold in. Finally stir in the remaining melted butter and the orange juice, and fold in half the cherries.
   4. Pour the mixture into the tin and scatter over the remaining cherries, followed by the almonds.
   5. Place in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and risen, and the top feels completely dry (the cherries will sink in). A skewer inserted at the centre should come out clean.
   6. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the tin, remove the loaf and set aside the right way up on a wire rack to cool completely.
   7. Dust with icing sugar before serving. The loaf will keep well in an airtight container for a couple of days.
   8. NOTE Ideally you want the dark red undyed glacé cherries here, but the poppy red cocktail ones will do too.