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This cherry & coconut cake is a 70’s British classic – a subtle vanilla sponge, with desiccated coconut and cherries evenly spread throughout. It’s delicious with a cup of tea any day of the week!

I love the texture of this cake – as it is baked for a long time in a 8-inch tin, the outside is nicely browned and the inside is very soft and crumbly. The top is sprinkled with granulated coconut before baking which adds a lovely crunch, too, and the cherries inside are such a treat.

How to make a cherry & coconut cake – step-by-step photos

Scroll down for full recipe card and ingredient list

1. Begin by pre-heating your oven to 180C and greasing your 8 inch cake tin (line with parchment paper if you have any)

2. Then, lightly beat 2 eggs in a bowl

3. Chop the glace cherries into quarters – I roughly do this using some kitchen scissors

4. Then toss the cherries in your desiccated coconut until covered

5. Now, you can begin to make the batter. Start by creaming together the butter and sugar

6. Then add in the beaten egg and vanilla extract, mix

7. And then add in the flour and milk – stir until a smooth batter forms

8. Then tip in the coconut and cherries

10. And mix until evenly spread throughout the batter

11. Tip the mixture into your prepared baking tin, smooth out the top using a butter knife or spoon, and sprinkle with some granulated sugar

12. Bake at 180C for 40 minutes, or until the outside is nicely browned and the inside cooked through – you can test this by inserting a clean toothpick and it should come out dry. Once cooked, allow to cool on a wire rack then serve and enjoy!