Cherry Cake for One

It’s cherry season, but even if it weren’t, frozen or canned cherries would be pretty good in this easy and quick cake. But fresh cherries made this little darling into something that made my taste buds do the happy dance.

7 TBLSP all-purpose flour

3 TBLSP granulated sugar

Pinch salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

4 teaspoons coconut oil, melted and cooled

¼ cup sweet cherries, pitted and diced

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a mini loaf pan or a 5-inch cake pan. I have a 4-inch spring-lock pan that works nicely.

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
2. In another small bowl, mix together water, vinegar vanilla, and coconut oil.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine until just incorporated. Fold in the cherries until they’re just hidden in the batter. 
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake for 40 minutes until a knife comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan and then to room temperature on a wire rack.

I made a little glaze out of 1 TBLSP vegan butter (softened), ½ cup powdered sugar, a slosh of vanilla extract, and about a TBLSP of almond milk, but it got lumpy, and the truth is, this cake is moist and lovely and doesn’t need it. 

Cherry Frozen Mousse for One

It’s summertime, and the cherries are everywhere. I love them, and I may have bought too many. Here’s a good treat for when your cherries are starting to fade but are still flavorful and lovely. Oh, and if you can’t wait for it to freeze, it’s still wonderful!

4 ounces (about 1/4 package) silken tofu

¾ cup pitted and frozen cherries

½ teaspoon maple syrup, agave nectar, or confectioner’s sugar (regular sugar will make it grainy)

1.  Chop the cherries a bit, to make the work of the food processor a little lighter.
2. Place all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and whirl until it’s well combined and creamy.
3. Place into a freezer-happy vessel and let it freeze for ½ an hour to 1 hour.

Enjoy topped with fresh fruit and a sprig of mint! Or maybe some chocolate chunks or chocolate sauce.

Note: This recipe makes about ¾ cup, about half-again what’s shown in these photos.

Variations:

This would be great with blueberries instead of cherries, or try blackberries, strawberries, or even plums, peaches, or nectarines!