The perfect pie is when you can use your own, seasonal fruits that you have just picked from the tree. Try this recipe for a wonderful cherry cake.
Picking fruits can be a quite dangerous process, especially without experience, knowledge and appropriate tools for that. Thanks to the lot of sunshine the sour cherries grew ripe this week so it was high time to pick them and of course to bake a wonderful sour cherry pie according to my mother’s recipe. I take the basket, our ladder which was once not created for fruit-picking and go to one tree after the other one. The low branches don’t cause any problems but even if I climb until the highest rung of the ladder I cannot reach the reddest and apparently more delicious fruits on the upper branches. I need a creative solution. I look around in our wood-shed where we still keep the old tools of my grandmother’s brother-in-law, Jóska. There is a rusted pitchfork, an old, wooden ladder which is highly recommended not to be used since it is full of holes by wood-worms. A pair of worn rubber boots, a petrol lamp, an old saw, a retro orange colored lampshade and an old worker jacket. We put our own tools on the side, somehow we don’t want to remove the old ones, maybe because of respect or because of hope that with the old tools his knowledge about our garden remains with us. I don’t find any appropriate tool but I decide a hoe can serve as well. I stand on the top of the ladder and hook the hoe to the higher branches and meanwhile I pray for that 1. the ladder doesn’t fall over 2. the branch doesn’t break 3. our neighbors don’t see me. Maybe the fruit pickers’ guardian angels were listening to may prayer so somehow I succeeded to fill up the basket by cherries and not to fall down. I pit the cherries, mix the dough and only change my mother’s recipe by reducing a little bit the amount of baking powder.
The pie rises perfectly in the oven and gets a beautiful golden brown color. When Áron, my boyfriend arrives I explain my fantastic invention but instead of being enthusiastic about my creativity he raises his eyebrows and asks: “With a hoe? On the top of the ladder?” I can hear his disapproval in his voice so I cut a piece of cherry pie and it convinces him more or less that it was worth it. In any case we agree that he needs to make a tool for me for that purpose, so we put this also on the to-do list. I put the wild flowers into a vase that I picked on the fields when walking with our dog. We are sitting under our cherry tree, eating cherry pie made from our own fruits , in our first year in the Hungarian countryside. I think, life couldn’t be any better. 
Cherry pie according to my mother’s recipe
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This sour cherry cake is a delightful treat made with fresh, ripe cherries and a tender, buttery cake base. It’s a perfect way to enjoy the bounty of cherry season.
Ingredients
- 200 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- 140 g butter or margarine
- 250 g flour
- 2 heaped tsp baking powder
- 200 g sour cream
- 250 g pitted cherries
- A bit of fine breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Brush a 28×20 cm ceramic baking dish with butter and sprinkle it with fine breadcrumbs to prevent sticking.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the sour cream, until fully combined.
- Gently fold in the pitted cherries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the dish before slicing and serving.
Notes
For best results, use fresh, ripe cherries. If fresh cherries are not available, you can use frozen cherries, but make sure to thaw and drain them well. The cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra treat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Hungarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 55
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of cherries should I use for the sour cherry cake?
You should use fresh, ripe sour cherries for the best flavor in your cake.
How do I properly pick sour cherries from the tree?
Use a ladder to reach higher branches, and consider using a hoe to hook the branches if you can’t reach them directly.
Can I substitute sour cherries with another type of fruit in this recipe?
While sour cherries are ideal, you could try using tart cherries or even a mix of berries, but the flavor and texture may differ.
