Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170C/160C Fan/Gas 3½. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin (approximately 13x23cm/5x9in) with baking paper.

Step 2

Cut the cherries in half, tip into a sieve and rinse well under warm water to remove the sticky syrup. Dry well on kitchen paper and tip the cherries into a bowl, add the plain flour, mix well to coat and set aside.

Step 3

Cream together the softened butter and 175g/6oz caster sugar until really pale and light. This will take 3–4 minutes and is quicker and easier using a freestanding mixer but an electric hand whisk also works well. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well between each addition.

Step 4

Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and mix again to combine.

Step 5

Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into the bowl, add the ground almonds and milk and beat until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Step 6

Fold the cherries into the mixture and spoon into the prepared loaf tin. Spread level with the back of a spoon, sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar and scatter with the flaked almonds. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 1 hour until the cake is golden-brown, well-risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. If the cake is browning too quickly loosely cover the top with a sheet of foil for the last 15 minutes.

Step 7

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then carefully lift out onto a cooling rack and leave until cold before slicing.