Cherry Bakewell Tart

The recipe, step by step

This cherry Bakewell tart is my own take on the classic, using fresh cherries instead of the usual layer of jam and finishing it with just a light drizzle of icing.

Cherries and almonds are such a good combination, and this tart really lets both flavours shine. A crisp sweet shortcrust pastry shell is filled with juicy cherries, soft almond frangipane and flaked almonds, then baked until golden with just a slight wobble in the centre.

I like to make my own sweet shortcrust pastry for this recipe. It takes a little longer because the pastry needs time to rest and chill, but the crisp, buttery result is well worth it. When time is short, 400 g shop-bought sweet shortcrust pastry works perfectly well too.

If fresh cherries are unavailable, the recipe also works with 200 g cherry jam. Raspberry jam is another lovely alternative.

For more fruit-filled pastry recipes, try my Apple Rose Tartlets or Strawberry Chocolate Tart.

Recipe Highlights

• Ease: Straightforward, especially if you use ready-made pastry.
• Taste: Sweet cherries, buttery almonds and vanilla with a light icing finish.
• Texture: Crisp pastry surrounding juicy cherries and soft, nutty frangipane.
• Serving: Delicious on its own or served with vanilla custard, ice cream or cream.
• Quantity: 10 slices.
• Tin: 23 cm / 9-inch round fluted tart tin.
• Preparation: 20 minutes.
• Resting: 30 minutes
• Baking: 35 minutes.
• Total: 1 hour 25 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Cherry Bakewell Tart

This version has everything I love about a Bakewell-style tart, but the fresh cherries make it feel lighter and fruitier.

As the tart bakes, some of the cherry juices mingle with the almond filling while the frangipane rises around the fruit. The result is soft and moist in the centre while the blind-baked pastry stays crisp underneath.

Fresh cherries are my first choice when they are in season, but having the jam alternative makes this a recipe you can make throughout the year.

It is also a lovely make-ahead dessert. Once completely cool, it slices neatly and can be served cold, brought back towards room temperature or warmed slightly before serving.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

• Sweet shortcrust pastry: Use 400 g homemade or shop-bought sweet shortcrust pastry. Homemade gives you a beautifully crisp, buttery base, while ready-made pastry is an excellent shortcut.

Frangipane

• Butter: Use 150 g softened butter. Soft butter creams easily with the sugar and gives the frangipane its rich flavour and tender texture.
• Caster sugar: Use 150 g caster sugar.
• Eggs: Use 2 medium eggs, approximately 100 g in total. Add them one at a time so they combine evenly with the butter mixture.
• Ground almonds: Use 150 g ground almonds. They provide the characteristic nutty flavour and soft texture of the frangipane.
• Plain flour: Use 20 g plain flour, also known as all-purpose flour. A small amount helps give the frangipane additional structure as it bakes.
• Vanilla: Use 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon vanilla paste.
• Flaked almonds: Use 40 g flaked almonds scattered over the top before baking.

Cherry Filling

• Fresh cherries: Use 500 g fresh cherries, pitted.
• Cherry jam alternative: Instead of fresh cherries, WPRM allows 200 g cherry jam.

Icing

• Icing sugar: Use 80 g icing sugar, also known as powdered sugar.
• Cold water: Use 2½ teaspoons cold water, adding it gradually until you have a thick icing suitable for drizzling.

Nigel recommends

Vanilla Bean Paste

Vanilla bean paste works beautifully in the almond frangipane, adding a rich, rounded vanilla flavour that complements the cherries and almonds without overpowering them.

Ingredient

Nielsen Massey

Vanilla Bean Paste

Rich vanilla bean paste with a concentrated vanilla flavour and visible vanilla seeds, ideal for cakes, biscuits, custards, creams and glazes.

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Some retailer links may be affiliate links. Recommendations remain editorially independent.

How to Make Cherry Bakewell Tart

Prepare the Pastry

1. Roll and line the tart tin: Gently roll the 400 g sweet shortcrust pastry until it is approximately 3–4 mm / ⅛ inch thick and about 26 cm in diameter. Carefully roll the pastry around your rolling pin, then unroll it over a 23 cm / 9-inch tart tin.

2. Fit and chill the pastry: Gently press the pastry into the corners and up the sides of the tart tin. Leave the excess pastry hanging over the edges for now, then place the tart shell in the refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes to rest.

3. Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 180°C fan / 400°F / Gas 6.

4. Trim and prick the pastry: After the pastry has rested for 30 minutes, remove it from the refrigerator or freezer. Trim the excess pastry neatly from the top edge with a knife, then prick the base with a fork.

5. Blind bake the pastry: Line the pastry shell with baking parchment and fill it with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the beans and parchment. Return the pastry shell to the oven for another 3 minutes to dry the base. Remove from the oven and leave it to cool.

Make the Frangipane and Fill the Tart

6. Make the frangipane: In a large mixing bowl, beat the 150 g softened butter and 150 g caster sugar together until pale and creamy. Beat in the 150 g ground almonds, then add the 2 eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Finally, beat in the 20 g plain flour and vanilla until combined.

7. Fill the tart: Arrange the 500 g pitted cherries over the base of the cooled tart shell. Alternatively, spread over 200 g cherry jam. Spoon the frangipane over the filling, gently spreading it into an even layer, then scatter over the 40 g flaked almonds.

Bake the Tart

8. Bake: Place the tart on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for approximately 30–35 minutes, until golden and the centre has just a slight wobble. If the flaked almonds begin to brown too quickly, loosely cover the tart with foil.

9. Cool: Once baked, remove the tart from the oven and leave it to cool.

Add the Icing

10. Make and drizzle the icing: Sift the 80 g icing sugar into a bowl. Stir in the cold water one teaspoon at a time until you have a thick but drizzleable icing. Drizzle it over the cooled Bakewell tart in a zigzag pattern using a spoon or piping bag.

Variations

Use Cherry Jam

When fresh cherries are unavailable, replace the 500 g fresh cherries with 200 g cherry jam.

Spread the jam over the cooled pastry shell before adding the frangipane.

Try Raspberry Jam

Raspberry and almond are another classic combination, so raspberry jam makes a very good alternative to cherry.

Change the Nuts

For a different flavour, replace the ground almonds with ground hazelnuts or walnuts.

Both create a noticeably different frangipane while following the same basic idea.

Add Citrus

Add a little finely grated lemon, lime or orange zest to the pastry or frangipane for a fresher flavour.

Try Other Fruits

The same tart can be adapted with other fruits, including:

• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Peaches

Use whatever is ripe and in season.

Nigel’s Recipe Tips

Don’t Overwork the Pastry

When making homemade sweet shortcrust pastry, handle it as little as possible.

Overworking the dough develops more gluten, which can make the baked pastry tougher rather than light and crumbly.

Use as Little Extra Flour as Possible

Dust your work surface and rolling pin with only enough flour to prevent the pastry sticking.

Too much additional flour can make the pastry heavier and drier.

Don’t Skip the Chilling

Resting the pastry is important.

Once it has been fitted into the tart tin, chill it for 30 minutes before blind baking. This gives the dough time to relax and helps reduce shrinkage in the oven.

Leave the Pastry Overhanging Until After Chilling

Do not immediately trim the pastry flush with the tart tin.

Leave the excess hanging over the edge while it chills, then trim it just before blind baking.

Blind Bake the Base

The fresh cherries and frangipane both contain moisture, so giving the pastry a head start helps keep the bottom crisp.

Bake it with baking beans for 15 minutes, then without them for a further 3 minutes.

Drain the Cherries Well

After washing and pitting the fresh cherries, allow any excess liquid to drain away before adding them to the pastry shell.

This helps prevent unnecessary moisture collecting on the pastry base.

Keep an Eye on the Almonds

The flaked almonds can colour faster than the frangipane underneath.

If they are becoming too dark before the filling is ready, loosely cover the tart with a sheet of foil for the remainder of the baking time.

Look for a Slight Wobble

The frangipane does not need to feel completely firm when you remove the tart from the oven.

After 30–35 minutes, it should be golden with only a slight wobble in the centre.

Let the Tart Cool Before Icing

Do not drizzle the icing over a hot tart.

If the tart is still warm, the icing will melt and disappear into the surface rather than leaving the attractive white zigzag finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Filling in This Cherry Bakewell Tart?

For this version i have used fresh cherries topped with almond frangipane, but you can also use 200 g cherry jam instead of the fresh fruit.

Can I Use Shop-Bought Pastry?

Yes. Use 400 g shop-bought sweet shortcrust pastry.

It is a useful shortcut when you do not have time to prepare and chill homemade pastry.

Why Do I Need to Blind Bake the Pastry?

The tart has a moist fruit and frangipane filling.

Blind baking sets and begins to crisp the pastry shell before that filling is added.

Do I Need Baking Beans?

Baking beans help hold the pastry against the tart tin while it blind bakes.

They also help prevent the base from puffing up excessively.

Why Does My Pastry Shrink?

Pastry is more likely to shrink when it has been overworked or has not been allowed enough time to rest.

Keep the dough cold, handle it gently and give the lined tart shell its full 30-minute chilling time.

How Do I Know When the Frangipane Is Ready?

The tart should be golden and the centre should retain only a slight wobble.

Can I Make the Tart Ahead?

Yes. The tart keeps well refrigerated and can also be frozen without the icing.

Tools You’ll Need

• 23 cm / 9-inch round fluted tart tin
• Rolling pin
• Large mixing bowl
• Electric hand whisk or wooden spoon
• Measuring spoons
• Digital kitchen scales
• Baking parchment
• Baking beans
• Fork
• Sharp knife
• Silicone spatula
• Piping bag or spoon for the icing, optional
• Foil, if needed during baking

Storage and Freezing

Storing

Once completely cool, cover the cherry Bakewell tart and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

It can be served cold, brought towards room temperature before serving or warmed gently.

Freezing

The tart can be frozen without the icing for up to 2 months.

Once completely cool, wrap it well or place it in a suitable freezer-safe container.

Defrost the tart overnight in the refrigerator, then add the icing according to the recipe before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: One slice.

Calories: 549.7 kcal · 27% DV
Total Fat: 35.5 g · 51% DV
Carbohydrates: 53.2 g · 20% DV
Sugars: 30.3 g · 34% DV
Protein: 8.2 g · 16% DV
Sodium: 177.1 mg · 9% DV
Fibre: 3.9 g · 14% DV

% Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Nutritional information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the exact ingredients, brands and serving size used.

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