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Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cake cases or use silicone cake moulds – grease them thoroughly.
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Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
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Mix together the ground almonds, flour and baking powder and lightly fold in to the butter mixture. Stir in the almond extract.
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Divide the mixture between the cases or moulds and press a couple of halved cherries into the surface of each so that they are just covered with batter.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool until they can comfortably be handled then either transfer the cake cases to a wire rack, or carefully turn the cakes out of the silicone moulds if using and place on a wire rack to cool.
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Once the cakes are cold, make the icing. Place the icing sugar and pitted cherries into a food processor and blend until smooth. The icing should be thick but pourable; if it is too runny then add more icing sugar and blend again; if it is too thick then add a couple more cherries and blend.
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Spoon the icing over the tops of the cakes and serve.
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The cakes will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container but once they have been iced they are best eaten the same day.