Preheat and prepare your tin. Set your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a 20cm round springform tin with parchment paper. The paper should come up the sides by about 2cm — this helps the cake rise evenly and makes removal a breeze. You'll smell the warm metal of the tin as it heats, a signal that we're about to begin.

Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the plain flour, caster sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk them together until the mixture looks uniform and feels light — you should see no streaks of salt or baking powder. This ensures an even rise and prevents bitter pockets.

Add the wet ingredients. Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture. Pour in the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and the cooled melted butter. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy — that's exactly what we want. Overmixing at this stage would develop the gluten and make the cake tough. You'll see the batter transform from a floury mess into a smooth, glossy dough that smells sweetly of vanilla.

Fold in the cherries. Gently fold the cherries into the batter using a spatula. Do this in just 5 or 6 strokes — you want the cherries distributed throughout, but not so much that the batter turns pink. If you're using frozen cherries, they will bleed slightly, which creates a lovely marbled effect. The batter will feel heavy with fruit, and you'll see the cherries peeking through the surface.

Transfer to the tin and add topping. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and spread it evenly with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top — this creates a delightful crackly crust as it bakes. For a restaurant touch, press a few extra cherries gently into the surface, spacing them evenly around the edge. The batter should feel thick and hold its shape.

Bake until golden and risen. Place the tin on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, check the colour — the cake should be a deep golden brown and the cherries on top will look slightly wrinkled and glossy. The smell at this point is divine: buttery, sweet, with the faint tartness of baked cherries filling your kitchen. Insert a skewer into the centre; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.

Cool and finish. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes — you'll hear a faint crackling sound as it settles. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, dust generously with icing sugar through a fine sieve. This final touch adds a snowy elegance that makes the cake look like it belongs on a dessert trolley. Slice with a serrated knife for clean, professional-looking pieces.