Healthy Sour Cherry Cake
I love summer for the wide variety of fruits I can enjoy.
My orchard is bursting with colors: cherries, sour cherries, and peaches.
I like to take a little walk through my orchard to treat myself to fresh, juicy fruits right off the tree.
This year I was blessed with lots of sour cherries. Some of them are already on my pantry shelves in the form of jam and compote. Some are in the freezers to bake this Healthy Sour Cherry Cake later in the year.
Sour cherries, also called tart cherries, are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, compounds that can reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers.
Summer always reminds me of my childhood, when my mother prepared a delicious cake with all the season’s fruits. This Sour Cherry Cake is healthy because I replaced half of the flour with almond flour and the refined sugar with coconut sugar.
When I was recreating this recipe, my main focus was to create a healthier version with as little flour and sugar as possible without compromising the flavor. And this is the best version I tested: weight loss and endometriosis friendly. The result is a light, airy, moist texture thanks to the addition of oil.
The crowning glory of this Healthy Sour Cherry Cake is the topping of pitted sour cherries dusted with almond flour. You can make a gluten-free version if you use gluten-free flour.
This Healthy Sour Cherry Cake is tender and fluffy and contains only 60 g of flour and 80 g of coconut sugar for the entire cake, which is about eight servings.
Tips for making the best Healthy Sour Cherry Cake:
When separating the egg whites from the yolks, be careful not to get any of the yolks into the bowl with the white eggs.
Add the sugar gradually.
Be sure to beat the egg whites well: to get a fluffy cake, beat the egg whites until you get a thick and glossy texture. When the mixture forms stiff peaks, it is ready.
Do not overbeat the egg whites either. Once you reach stiff peaks, stop!
Do not overfold: Gently fold in the almond flour mixture to maintain aeration of the beaten egg whites. Use a spatula and work the flour mixture in large motions to keep the cake from puffing up. If you fold the cake too much, it will become denser and lose its fluffiness.
Do not open the oven door until near the end of baking to check the Sour Cherry cake.
What are the ingredients for the Healthy Sour Cherry Cake?
Ingredients
350 g pitted sour cherries
4 large free-range eggs, room temperature
4 tbsp. cold-pressed canola oil
60 g flour or self-raising flour
60 g almond flour or almond meal
80 g coconut sugar
1 to 2 tsp vanilla extract
zest of one organic lemon
¼ tsp baking powder if you are not using self-raising flour
1 to 2 tbsp of almond meal or almond flour to sprinkle over the sour cherries
A pinch of salt
How to prepare the Healthy Sour Cherry Cake?
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 20 to 25 minutes
Makes 8 servings
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line the bottom of a round tart pan with parchment paper and grease with canola oil. I used a 9-inch (24 cm) tart pan.
Step 2
Pit the sour cherries and let them drain for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the almond flour over the cherries and stir to coat the cherries evenly.
Set aside.
Note: I always drink the juice because it is so refreshing as I love the sweet-tart taste, and it is rich in vitamin C.
Step 3
Whip the egg whites.
Place the egg whites and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
Beat the mixture with a hand mixer at medium-low speed until the mixture looks foamy.
Gradually add the coconut sugar and slowly increase the speed to medium-high.
Continue beating the egg whites until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is thick and glossy, forming stiff peaks. When you lift the beaters out of the bowl, the beaten egg whites will not drop. Do not beat any further than this point.
Set the egg white mixture aside.
Step 4
Put the egg yolks and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and beat them with a hand mixer (you do not need to wash them after you beat the egg whites) until they are well combined and fluffy.
Slowly add the canola oil, constantly beating, until you have a smooth, light mayonnaise consistency.
Add the vanilla extract and stir to incorporate.
Step 5
Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture a little at a time.
Step 6
Whisk together the flour, almond flour, and baking powder. Add the lemon zest and sift this mixture into the foamy egg mixture, one-third at a time.
Using a spatula, fold it in with each addition until incorporated. Scrape the spatula off the bottom to catch any remaining flour. Do not over-mix, or you will deflate the batter.
The result will be light and evenly mixed dough.
Step 7
Pour the batter into the round cake pan and smooth it into an even layer.
Spread the sour cherries over the cake in a circular pattern.
Tap the pan once or twice to remove any large air bubbles.
Place the tart pan on the middle rack of the oven or the one below. I bake on the bottom shelf; otherwise, the cake will turn golden too quickly.
Bake the cake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
After 20 minutes, remove the cake from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.
Tip to keep the weight down:
When it’s about cake, remember that moderation is the key to everything, including healthy foods.
Enjoy a slice of this Healthy Sour Cherry Pie in the first part of the day, so you have plenty of time to burn off the calories and reach your weight maintenance goal. Or you can eat it after a workout to boost energy.
Storage:
This Sour Cherry Cake will keep in the refrigerator for at least 4 days.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
If you recreate this Healthy Sour Cherry Cake recipe, let me know by sharing your pictures on Instagram and tagging them with the hashtag #healthywomanstyle, or leave a comment below.
Wishing you a summer full of healthy desserts, inspiration, and good things,
Gabby
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