Red, White, and Delicious: BBQ Baked Cherries & Cream Cakes for Memorial Day

Directions

1. Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium heat (about 350°F).

2. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

3. In a large mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the softened butter and oil together for about 3 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar to the oil and butter, beating on high until the mixture is light and fluffy and turns a very pale yellow, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the eggs in one at a time, scraping down the bowl in between each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Beat the mixture on high for 3 minutes more to incorporate as much air as possible.

5. In a separate bowl sift together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder. Alternate mixing in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in 4 batches, starting with the buttermilk and ending with the dry ingredients. It’s okay if the batter still has a few lumps in it–you don’t want to over mix it.

6. Split the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Cook the cakes over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed, until a wooden toothpick inserted in cake centers comes out clean and there is no jiggle in the center of the cakes, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans 90 degrees once halfway through cooking time. Remove from the grill and let cool completely on a wire rack.

7. Run a knife around the edge of each cake, making sure to reach down to the bottom of the pan. Invert the cakes out of the pan onto another wire rack or board and remove parchment. Invert the cakes again onto serving platters.

8. In a medium bowl mix the cherries, 4 tablespoons of the sugar, and the lemon juice. Let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whip the cream with the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar to stiff peaks.

9. Cut the cakes and serve with the cherries and whipped cream on top.