Cherry Bakewell Cake

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If you’re anything like me and have a soft spot for almond, then this Cherry Bakewell Cake is perfect for you! Inspired by the classic Bakewell tart, it’s packed with that familiar sweet almond flavour, layered with fruity cherry jam, and topped with a simple glacé icing with a hint of lemon. Decorated with flaked toasted almonds and vibrant glacé cherries, this recipe is everything we love about a traditional Bakewell — just in cake form!

This Bakewell Cake is part of my Coffee Shop Classics recipe series – where I help you re-create your favourite coffee shop treats at home!

Your Ingredients List

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this Bakewell Cake:

Unsalted butter or baking spread: Provides a rich flavour and soft texture to the sponge. Room temperature is best for easy creaming.
Caster sugar: Sweetens the sponge and gives it a moist texture. Both white or golden caster sugar can be used for this recipe.
Almond extract: I like my Bakewell Cake to pack an almond flavour punch — that’s why I use two whole teaspoons of almond extract in the sponge for that signature sweet and nutty taste. Feel free to tweak the amount if you’d prefer more or less.
Eggs: For this recipe, you can use either 3 large eggs or 4 medium eggs. Make sure the eggs are room temperature as this results in the fluffiest sponge.
Self-raising flour: Binds the mixture together and gives the cake a lovely rise. If using plain flour, also add 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
Ground almonds: Adds a delicate nutty texture and keeps the sponge super moist.
Milk: Adds richness and softness to the sponge. Whole or semi-skimmed milk can be used.
Icing sugar, lemon juice, and water: Mixed together for the simple glacé icing to drizzle over your cake. Use fresh lemons (not bottled juice) for the best flavour.
Cherry or raspberry jam: This gives the Bakewell cake its signature fruity layer. The sharpness of the jam is the perfect contrast to the sweet almond sponge and icing, stopping things from getting too sickly.
Flaked almonds: Toasted and scattered on top for crunch, flavour and a bit of texture. They’re light, toasty, and give a lovely contrast to the soft sponge and icing.
Glace cherries: Optional, but so nostalgic and fun for decoration!

Why You’ll Love This Bakewell Cake

FLAVOUR: This Bakewell Cake is full of almond flavour with a fruity hit. The lemon icing adds a bright sharpness, while the toasted almonds bring a warm, toasty nuttiness — both help cut through the sweetness beautifully.
TEXTURE: Soft, light, moist sponge with a sticky jammy filling. The icing on top sets with a slight crispness, while the toasted flaked almonds add a bit of crunch for contrast.
SKILL: Quick, simple and easy! There’s nothing complicated about this recipe.
SERVES: You’ll easily get 8-10 slices from this cake. Perfect for bake sales, get-togethers, or on a coffee shop counter!

Start by Making the Almond Sponge Cakes

This sponge is an absolute dream to bake. It’s soft, fluffy, and full of that sweet almond flavour we all know and love in Bakewell cake. The method is simple, no fancy equipment or tricky techniques. Just a good old fashioned creaming method and a bit of folding:

Cream the butter, sugar and almond extract in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale, light and fluffy. It should smell amazing, like sweet almond heaven.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. To keep the mixture smooth and stop it from curdling, mix in a spoonful of flour with each egg.
Fold in the remaining flour, along with the ground almonds and milk. Mix gently until just combined, don’t overdo it. The batter will be thick but soft and spreadable.
Divide the batter between two greased and lined 8-inch cake tins, smoothing out the tops with the back of a spoon or spatula.
Bake at 160°C fan (180°C conventional) for 40–45 minutes, until the sponges are risen and golden.
Cool in the tins for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and let them cool completely before filling and decorating.

Bakewell Cake Jam Filling

Once your sponges have cooled completely, it’s time to add the jammy filling. Traditional Bakewell cakes usually go for cherry or raspberry jam (I used a lovely Black Cherry Conserve by Bonne Maman), but feel free to use whatever you’ve got that’s fruity and tart. Spread a generous layer over the bottom sponge, stopping about 1cm from the edge to avoid it squishing out later. Pop the second sponge on top and give it a gentle press to sandwich everything together nicely.

Top with Glacé Icing

Now for the finishing touch, that classic white glacé icing! If you’ve ever had a traditional Bakewell tart, you’ll know this simple icing is a bit of a signature finish. It’s made by mixing icing sugar with a little liquid – usually water, lemon juice or even milk. I like using cold water and lemon juice for a bit of tang, which pairs beautifully with the sweet almond sponge and jam. Here’s how to make it:

Combine the ingredients. Mix icing sugar with a splash of lemon juice and cold water until thick, smooth and spreadable.
Check the texture. The icing should hold its shape but still spread easily. Too runny? Add more icing sugar. Too stiff? Add a tiny bit more liquid.
Drizzle on top. Pour the icing onto the centre of your cooled cake and spread it gently to the edges using a spoon or palette knife. A few drips down the sides add a lovely rustic touch.

How To Decorate Your Bakewell Cake

Bakewell tart is loved for its simple iconic look, a smooth layer of bright white icing, a pop of red from glacé cherries, and sometimes a sprinkle of flaked almonds for texture. I kept things classic with this cake version too, topping it off with golden toasted flaked almonds and glossy glacé cherries for that unmistakable Bakewell finish.

Toasted Almonds = More Flavour
Flaked almonds are lovely as they are, but giving them a quick toast really levels things up. It brings out their natural oils and gives you a gorgeous nutty crunch on top of your icing. How to toast the almonds:

Pop them in a dry frying pan over high heat.
Shake the pan gently every minute or so – don’t walk away!
In about 3-4 minutes, they’ll start turning golden and smelling amazing.
As soon as they’re lightly golden, tip them out onto a plate to cool (they’ll keep toasting if you leave them in the pan).

Recipe FAQ’s

What is the difference between Bakewell cake, tart, and pudding?

Bakewell cake is a sponge cake made with almond extract and ground almonds. It’s layered with jam, and topped with icing and flaked almonds. Bakewell tart features a shortcrust pastry base filled with jam and frangipane, often topped with flaked almonds or icing. The Bakewell pudding is an older version with a puff pastry base, jam, and a custard-like almond filling.

Which flavour jam should I use?

Traditional Bakewell tart is made using cherry jam. But you could swap for raspberry, strawberry or even blueberry jam.

How to make this cake gluten-free?

Just swap out the self-raising flour for a gluten-free self-raising blend (the kind that contains xanthan gum or another binder works best). Everything else stays the same – and no one will even notice the difference. Just double-check that your jam is gluten-free (most are, but it’s worth a glance at the label.

Can I pre-bake and freeze the sponge?

Yes! The sponges can be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap them in clingfilm and foil, and defrost overnight before adding the icing.

How do I store this cake?

Store in a baking tin, at room temperature, for up to 5 days.

Cherry Bakewell Cake

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Prep: 30

Cook: 40

Total: 1 10

Servings:

Equipment

2 8" round cake tins

Ingredients

For the almond sponge cakes:

325 grams Unsalted butter or baking spread room temperature
350 grams Caster sugar
2 teaspoons Almond extract
3 large Eggs or 4 medium eggs. Room temperature.
250 grams Self-raising flour or 250g plain flour + 2 teaspoons baking powder
100 grams Ground almonds
3 tbsp Milk whole or semi-skimmed

For the icing and jam filling:

200 grams Icing sugar
0.5 teaspoon Lemon juice only
2-3 tablespoons Cold water
100 grams Cherry or raspberry jam

For the decoration:

20 grams Flaked almonds
8 Glace cherries

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

Start by making the almond sponge cakes:

Preheat oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Lightly grease and line two 8-inch round cake tins.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, caster sugar and almond extract together until light and fluffy.
325 grams Unsalted butter or baking spread, 350 grams Caster sugar, 2 teaspoons Almond extract
Beat in one egg at a time until combined. To stop the mixture from curdling, add 1 tablespoon of the 250g flour with each egg.
3 large Eggs
Add the remaining flour, ground almonds and milk. Fold until combined.
250 grams Self-raising flour, 100 grams Ground almonds, 3 tbsp Milk
Divide the mixture evenly between the baking tins and smooth out the top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the sponge is risen and golden. Leave in the tin for 30 minutes, then remove and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the icing:

Mix the icing sugar with two tablespoons of water and the juice of half a lemon. The icing should be smooth, thick and spreadable. If it's too thin, add more icing sugar. If it's too stiff and dry, add a tiny drop of water and mix.
200 grams Icing sugar, 0.5 teaspoon Lemon, 2-3 tablespoons Cold water

Assemble and decorate the cake:

Place one spoonful layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread the jam on top, leaving a 1cm border around the outside edge. Place the other sponge layer on top and press down to sandwich the two cakes together.
100 grams Cherry or raspberry jam
Pour the icing on top of the cake and spread it to the edges, letting it drip down the sides.
Pop the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan and place over high heat. Swirl the pan occasionally until the almonds are golden and smell delicious. This should only take a couple of minutes, but watch the almonds the whole time as they can burn very easily.
20 grams Flaked almonds
Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top of the cake and dot the glacé cherries around the outside. Slice and enjoy!
8 Glace cherries