Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C for fan ovens), gas mark 4, or 350°F.

Prepare a 17-18cm (7-inch) deep round cake tin by greasing it thoroughly with butter, or line it with a parchment paper liner for easier removal later.

Wash the cherries thoroughly, then dry them with a clean kitchen towel. Remove the stalks, pit the cherries, and cut them into a combination of halves and quarters to provide different textures throughout the cake.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, caster sugar, self-raising flour, eggs, vanilla extract, and ground almonds. Use an electric mixer or a food processor to blend the ingredients together until you have a smooth, well-incorporated batter.

Gently fold the prepared cherries into the cake mixture using a large spoon or spatula, ensuring they are evenly spread throughout the batter.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared cake tin, leveling it with a spatula. Create a shallow dip along the center of the batter to help prevent the cake from forming a peak as it bakes.

Lightly sprinkle the top of the cake with a little caster sugar to give it a sweet, crisp finish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the cake has risen, the top is golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.