The taste of summer, though you can make these all the year round these days.

Makes 12 large cup cakes
150 g frozen (but defrosted) black cherries
50 g caster sugar
You can use up to 100g sugar depending on how sweet you like it

Bring both to the boil and then leave to cool in the pan

For the sponge

180 g butter
165 g soft brown sugar
1 tablespoon Greek Yoghurt
1.5 teaspoons almond extract
2 eggs
170 g self raising flour
30 g ground almons - stirred into the flour
2 - 3 tablespoons flaked almonds

Place 12 muffin cases into a 12 hole tin

Preheat the oven to 170ºC, 325ºF, Gas 3

Cream together the butter, sugar, yoghurt and almond extract

Sift 4 tablespoons of the flour and almond mixture over the creamed mix

Add the eggs, beaten together lightly, and beat into the mixture

Add the rest of the almond and flour mix and fold in

Share the mix equally into each of the muffin cases

Lightly swirl a teaspoon of the cherry mixture and sprinkle a few almonds on top

Bake for 18 minutes