Italian Cherry And Cream Cheese Layer Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
7 oz full fat cream cheese
1/2 None vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
heaping 3/4 cup sugar
3 None medium eggs
heaping 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 None lemon, grated zest and juice
5 oz frozen cherries, coarsley chopped
2/3 cup almond liqueur
2/3 cup cherry jam
2 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F.\r\nPut the butter, half the cream cheese, vanilla seeds and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in well. Stir in the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, lemon zest and 2 tbsp of the juice and mix until smooth. Spoon into a 8 inch greased and lined springform pan. Bake for 45-50 mins.
Put the frozen cherries and 2 tbsp of the liqueur in a bowl. Bring the jam to a boil in a saucepan then pour it over the cherries and mix well. \r\nLoosen the cake in the pan and take it out. Leave until cool enough to slice across into 4 even layers. Lay these out on a tray or plates and spoon the rest of the liqueur over them.
Mix 2 tablespoons lemon juice into the rest of the cream cheese to soften it. Whip the cream then fold in the cream cheese. Take out half of this for the filling. Set aside the other half for the coating.
Put the bottom layer of cake on the serving plate or cake stand. Spread a third of the cream mixture over, then a third of the cherry mixture. Put the second layer of cake on top and repeat the process twice, pressing the fourth layer of cake on top lightly. Spread the set aside cream mixture over the top and sides of the layered cake.
Chill until firm or freeze for 5 hours then take it out of the freezer 30 mins before serving. Cut into slices.