LEAN CHERRY CAKE WITHOUT OIL

Fasting in Macedonia is a very common custom.  Actually Easter fasting has already begun. People fast for weeks during religious fasting periods. There are also people who fast every Friday or other day every week. So, it is necessary to adapt food to your fast. What I always recommend is eating plenty of veggies and fruits and nuts. But, let's be honest, you need dessert as well right?

So I present you this simple, very tasty lean cake, enriched with cherries. It doesn't even contain oil.

Ingredients: 

• 12 tablespoons sugar
• 400 ml water (1.6 cups)
• 20 tablespoons flour
• 1 sachet baking powder (2 tsp)
• 4 tablespoons jam of your choice (choose softer so that it can me mixed in well), 
• 100 g crushed nuts (or poppy seeds, carob or something similar)
• 300 g of cleaned cherries

Preparation:

1.  Add jam and sugar to the water and mix well. 
2. Then add the nuts, stir, then the flour mixed with the baking powder and mix everything well. 
3. Add drained and cleaned cherries to this mixture, then stir with a spoon. 
4. Leave to stand while the oven heats up to 180 C degrees (350 F).
5. During this time, the cherries will be slightly loosened, so stir once more to combine the released juice. 
6. Pour the mixture into a 30x20 tray lined with baking paper and bake for about 30 minutes depending on the oven. 
7. Cut into cubes and sprinkle with powdered sugar.