Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and butter a 9-inch round cake pan, about 2 inches deep. I use parchment paper underneath too—this pudding has sticky edges that want to cling.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together until no lumps remain.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs lightly, then stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon just until combined—the batter should look thick but pourable. If it looks too stiff, add a splash more milk. Don't overmix; this is not a cake that needs structure.
- Toss the cherries in the 2 tablespoons of sugar and lemon juice, then arrange them on top of the batter in the pan. They should sit like jewels rather than sink immediately.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. The edges will be golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean but not bone-dry—you're looking for moist crumbs, not dryness.
- Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen before flipping onto a plate or serving directly from the dish.
- Serve warm with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or nothing at all—this pudding doesn't need much accompaniment.
Nutrition
Notes
I keep this in my regular rotation because it's forgiving enough for weeknights but special enough to serve guests without explanation. You don't need to soak cherries or peel anything—it just works. My only real tip is to let the pudding rest ten minutes after baking before serving; that brief pause lets the center set properly, and you get clean slices instead of a collapsed mess.