Mix butter and sugar in a bowl until frothy. Mix in the egg yolks. Season with lemon zest and salt. Mix flour with baking powder and gradually stir in alternately with milk. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in.
Grease the springform pan (24 cm) and pour in half of the batter. Distribute the cherries, washed in cold water, stalked, drained and pitted. Pour the remaining dough over it and smooth it out. Bake in the oven preheated to 200 ° C (gas mark 4) on the middle rack for 55 minutes.
Take the cake out of the oven. Carefully remove from the mold and slide onto a cake wire. Dust with icing sugar while it is still hot. Divide into 12 pieces before serving.