SOUR CHERRY CRUMB BARS RECIPE

Submitted by:  June Shockley
Enjoy this great cookie bar made with my homemade brandy vanilla extract.

SOUR CHERRY CRUMB BARS RECIPE

Ingredients

For the crumb topping:

• 1+1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp butter, cold and cut into cubes

For the cake:

• 1 pound (2+1/2 cups) sour cherries, pitted
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 large egss
• 1 tsp June's Homemade Brandy Vanilla Extract

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter and flour parchment and pan, tapping out excess flour.
2. To make the crumb topping, mix flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add cold butter (cut into 1/4-inch cubes) to the flour mixture and pulse until the butter cubes are pea-sized and coated with flour. Do not let the dough come together in a ball. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. To make the cake, whisk  flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Working in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer on low, beat in vanilla, then flour mixture.
4. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with pitted sour cherries and top with the crumb topping.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake from pan and cut into 16 bars.