Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dough
- 200 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 180 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 15 ml dark rum
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 380 g all-purpose flour
- 8 g baking powder
- 3 g fine sea salt
Filling
- 250 g black cherry jam
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 15 ml milk
- 1 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the room temperature butter and granulated sugar together until light, fluffy, and noticeably paler in color.
Add the whole eggs, egg yolk, dark rum, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Mix on low speed just until the dry ingredients disappear into the dough. Do not overmix.
Divide the soft dough in half. Shape each half into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm enough to roll.
Preheat the oven to 175 C or 350 F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Roll one disk of the chilled dough into an 8-inch circle on a lightly floured surface, or press it directly into the bottom of the prepared cake pan, creating a very slight lip around the edges.
Spread the black cherry jam evenly over the bottom layer of dough, ensuring you leave a 2 centimeter border around the perimeter so the jam does not leak during baking.
Roll the second disk of dough into an 8-inch circle and place it gently over the jam. Press the edges down lightly to seal the top and bottom dough layers together.
Whisk the egg, milk, and salt together to create the egg wash. Apply generously over the top of the cake using a pastry brush, then drag the tines of a fork across the surface to create a traditional crosshatch pattern.
Bake in the preheated oven at 175 C or 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cake is a deep, rich golden brown.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan. The crumb structure needs to set as it cools to prevent falling apart when sliced.
Chef's Notes
- Using a high-quality, European-style butter with a high fat content will vastly improve the final crumb texture and flavor.
- Black cherry preserve from the Basque village of Itxassou is traditional, but any premium, thick black cherry preserve will work beautifully. Avoid runny jellies.
- The dough resembles a very soft, sticky cookie dough. Do not panic if it is difficult to roll; pressing it into the pan is a perfectly acceptable and stress-free technique.
- This cake is arguably better the next day. Allowing it to rest overnight at room temperature allows the moisture from the jam to gently soften the crumbly crust.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to maintain moisture.
Freezer: 2 months — Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap, then heavy-duty aluminum foil before freezing.
