How is it that every time I turn the computer on and spend more than 30 minutes looking at the screen, my "favorites" box ends up being full of luscious, simple, adventurous, down to earth recipes that I know I won’t have time to get around? How is it that everytime I hit the market, my produce guy, Sunny, hands me a box of the best he’s got around and charges me pennies for it? Maybe because he knows I will bring you a share of whatever I end up making.
Sunny knows my love for berries, blood oranges, lemon, all things tart and puckery, and naturally of all things "cherries". He tried to compete with Beverly for all things local and homegrown but when it comes to cherries, he knows one tree is not enough for me…so he brings me case after case.
Every night this past week, I sat down at the dinner table, covered in old newspaper and I pitted cherries, pound after pound. I have preserved, jammed (oh yeah, I am cool like that), jellied, pickled and froze 30 pounds so far. Crazy? maybe, I don’t know…I see red everywhere…If I see one more pit I might scream…I think people wonder why I paint under my nails…! But there you have it: first installment of a very cherry summer to come (oh, yeah , I am funny like that) in the form of mini cakes inspired by 3 different recipes I had bookmarked from other blogs, and as a Taurean, not quite capable of making up my min,d I decided to combine all three and make my own little tambouille (French slang for nosh).
Cherries and Coconut Cakes
Makes 8-10
8 oz flour (230 gr)
6 oz sugar (170 gr)
2 eggs
2 Tb. melted butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 tsp. baking powder
grated zest of one lemon
pinch of salt
1 cup fresh or frozen pitted cherries
1/2 chopped almonds or coconut
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, melted butter, coconut milk and extract.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the wet ingredients. Fold in the cherries. Sprinkle with almonds. I wanted to use coconut but ran out after another baking project.
Divide between muffin tins lined with cupcake liners, or other molds. I used Reynolds heart shaped molds, coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 F, for 20-25 minutes