This Sweet Cherry Almond Cake recipe is tender and packed full of jammy, plump sweet cherries! It’s such an easy cherry cake recipe to pull together and with a hint of almond, vanilla and lemon, it’s full of flavor. Use the freshest summer fruit in this cake and in other summer favorites like Blueberry Cornmeal Crisp and Carrot Cake with Pineapple. This recipe is vegetarian and easily dairy free. [ UPDATE 5/22: read notes above recipe card for update.]
Table of Contents
A Little Fresh Cherry Cake Backstory
This easy cherry cake recipe is a loosely adapted version of Marian Burros’s famous Plum Torte recipe originally printed in 1983 in the New York Times. I tried it for the first time years ago and its become a beloved late summer cake easily adaptable to just about any juicy fruit. My favorite, turns out, is fresh sweet cherry. But I wouldn’t pass up strawberry, peach or the original plum, should an opportunity arise.
An ultra tender, delicate, moist and light crumb, with just the right balance of sweet, this homemade cherry almond cake recipe is easy to pull together and freezer friendly, least you attempt to eat it all in one setting (seriously). The cherries turn into soft, jammy goodness and the crumb is the most tender of crumbs with a nice texture thanks in part to almond flour. A sprinkle of sugar on the batter pre-bake turns into a thin layer of crackly crust. My heart is all a flutter!
Original Cherry Cake Recipe Changes
From Marian’s original recipe I’ve made several changes:
- Prepare the pan throughly by greasing and lining with parchment.
- Reduced the all purpose flour and added a bit of almond flour, vanilla and almond extract and lemon zest to bump up this scrumptious cake’s flavor profile.
- Reduced the one cup of sugar to 3/4 C (165g).
- For a dairy free option, I tested this recipe using coconut oil instead of butter. I love both, but the buttery flavor stood out among the two for me. Rob however, couldn’t tell the difference. If using coconut oil, the bonus here is you don’t have to break out the stand mixer or handheld beaters. Just a whisk, mixing bowl and strong arm will make the magic happen!
Ingredients for Bing Cherry Cake
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- Almond Flour
- Baking Powder and Salt
- Cane Sugar
- Unsalted Butter or Coconut Oil
- Eggs
- Fresh Sweet Cherries – not maraschino cherries – I like Bing
- Fresh Lemon
- Almond and Vanilla Extract
Quick Guide: How to Make this Cherry Cake Recipe From Scratch
After pitting the cherries, mixing this cake is super simple. You’ll need a mixer for the butter version. If using the dairy free version, a whisk and strong arm will do. In summary, here’s how to make it (see recipe card below for details):
- First, pit the cherries and slice most into 1/4 pieces, some 1/2 pieces.
- Second, using a mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. If using coconut oil, simply melt the oil and pour it into a mixing bowl with the sugar and whisk vigorously for about one minute.
- Third, mix in the eggs, extracts, lemon zest and juice. The batter will look broken. Press on!
- Fourth, sift in the almond and AP flour, salt and baking powder and mix until just incorporated. The batter will be very thick.
- Fifth, fold in the quartered cherries. Scrape the batter into a prepared cake pan. Place the halved cherries on top and sprinkle with sugar.
- Last, bake.
This cherry, almond flavored cake will need to cool completely before sharing. Enjoy with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream.
What Cake Pan to Use
A non stick 8″ spring form pan makes this sweet cherry cake easy to depan. Simply ease the ring off and the cake is ready to go. But this sweet cherry cake can also be made in a regular 8″ round cake pan.
Either way, even if using a nonstick pan, grease the pan, place a parchment round on the bottom and lightly oil the bottom again. This will ensure an easier release.
Variations on Sweet Cherry Almond Cake
This cherry cake recipe can be made with other juicy summer fruits as well. I’ve made plum, strawberry and this cherry cake. I’m thinking peach or apricot would be fun to play with too.
The bake time will be longer however, if using juicier fruit. Deb at Smitten Kitchen shares the original plum torte recipe. Worth a look if you plan on making it.
Tools I Use to Make This Cake (these are affiliate links)
- Cherry Pitter – I love this tool and it pits olives too!
- 8″ Spring Form Pan
- Offset Spatula – small
- Stand Mixer – I highly recommend
- Parchment Paper – my go to
A Few Recipe Tips
- Proper pan preparation will ensure easy release. The original recipe calls for no pan prep/grease, but I find the fruit sticks to the sides and bottom of the pan. To alleviate this, grease the bottom and sides of the pan then line the bottom with a parchment round.
- Freezer friendly? Yes please! Once the cake is completely cool, wrap it snugly in plastic wrap, or storage container and freeze for up to two weeks. Thaw at room temperature.
- Dairy free? Oh yesss! I tested this recipe using melted coconut oil instead of butter and love the results.
- This fresh cherry cake is delicious shared warm with a bit of ice cream. Gently rewarm in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes.
More Summer Dessert Recipes to Love
- Sourdough Biscuit Shortcakes
- Blueberry Cinnamon Yogurt Coffee Cake
- Single Layer Carrot Cake with Pineapple
- Sweet Cherry Galette
- Blueberry Cornmeal Crumble
- Blueberry Peach Cobbler Tart
- Bluebarb Ice Cream Pie Parfaits
*Update* May 2022
This cake has received glowing five star reviews here and on social, but also, several makers reported the cake soggy or under done. I’ve remade the recipe, baking it right at 38 minutes (adjusted up by a two minutes from the the original recipe). Results were as expected. Here are a few additional tips to help ensure success.
- Use firm, fresh cherries. Older fruit tends to be softer and juicier.
- Employ an oven thermometer. New and old ovens alike vary in calibration. An oven thermometer will allow you to know the exact internal temperature of your oven, and you can adjust if necessary. It’s essential in every baker’s kitchen.
- Use a kitchen scale if you can to weigh your ingredients. It’s more accurate than volume measurements, reason professional bakers weigh their ingredients.
- Use the toothpick test to see if your cake is done. When a toothpick is inserted in the cake, it should come out with very few crumbs, if any on it. You may have to poke around to avoid poking into a cherry.
- Keep the oven door closed until the last minutes of baking to do the toothpick test.
- Allow your cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Once out of the pan, allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature before removing the bottom part of the spring form pan and/or cutting into into the cake. Cooling is an important part of crumb development in baked goods (it even has a name, carryover).
- Use room temperature ingredients.
Sweet Cherry Almond Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Cups (300 grams) Sweet Cherries I use Bing
- 1/2 Cup (113 grams) Unsalted Butter room temperature or 1/2 Cup unrefined melted coconut oil + more for greasing the pan
- 3/4 Cup (165 grams) Cane Sugar + 1.5 tablespoons for sprinkling on top
- Lemon Zest from one lemon
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice about 1/2 a lemon
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract optional
- 2 Whole Eggs large, at room temperature
- 3/4 Cup (110 grams) All Purpose Flour unbleached
- 1/4 Cup (30 grams) Almond Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
Instructions
Prepare:
- Using unsalted butter or coconut oil, grease an 8 inch (20 centimeter) non stick spring form or cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment. grease the parchment. Set aside.
Pit and Slice the Cherries:
- Pit the cherries. Cut about a hand full in halves about 1/4 cup), set aside. Cut the remaining in quarters. The halves will be used to dot the top of the cake with so keep those separate. The quarters will be folded into the cake. Set aside.
Make the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius). Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven.
- If Using Butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer add the room temperature butter and sugar. Set a timer for 5 minutes and using the paddle attachment (or handheld beaters), beat on medium (speed 4 if using a KitchenAid) for five minutes. The mixture will be light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. If Using Coconut Oil: In a large mixing bowl, add the melted coconut oil (it should be warm to touch) and sugar. Using a whisk, beat the mixture until the sugar is smooth and the ingredients come together, about 1-2 minutes. (You can use a stand mixer or handheld beaters here if you like). Scrape down the bowl.
- To the sugar/fat mixture, add the lemon zest and juice, and extracts. Add eggs, one at a time, and whisk for about 10-15 seconds each or until each egg is broken up. The mixture will look broken at this point. Scrape down the bowl, all the way to the bottom. Into the mixing bowl, sift in the flours, baking powder and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined and no more dry flour is visible. The batter will be thick. Fold the quartered cherries into the batter.
- Scrape the batter into the pan, pressing it in and evenly smooth the top. Arrange the halved cherries on top of the cake, cut side facing up or down (no need to press them in - just set them on top - the cake will bake up and around them). Sprinkle the top of the cake with 1 1/2 tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the top is golden and springs back when gentle pressure is applied. Cool for 20 minutes. Use a pairing knife to ease the cake away from the pan around the circumference of the pan, then remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Share simply or top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream or ice cream. Store at room temperature, covered for up to three days. Reheat in a 325 Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
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Great recipe! I used frozen cherries for this. I just thawed them and drained off excess juice. I also baked for 38 minutes and it was perfectly done. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Hi Joy! Hooray! Thank you for giving the recipe a go and sharing your tips! SO happy to hear!
I made this cake with jar cherries. As they were small I put them in as is and pressed some into the top as well. The cake texture was next level. The jar cherries were tart and beautiful in the cake.
Hi Justine! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the cake! Thank you for your note. Can you tell us what jarred cherries you used? Did you rinse them first?
This was great. I made 1 1/2 times the recipe and cooked it in a very large springform pan. Also I didn’t chop the cherries (I was kinda sick of them after the pitting). I threw them all into the mix whole. The cake is about 2 inches high and perfect consistency. Really delicious.
Hi Jax! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note! Everything good about a larger cake – I’m curious about how long you baked the larger cake for? So happy to hear you’re enjoying this summer cake!
I wish I’d heeded the warning that the cake often turns out wet and soggy! This happened to me too. The flavor is nice, but the texture of the cake is off. Not quite sure exactly what went wrong. The batter was not as wet as a typical cake batter (meaning, it was a little thicker than I thought it would be) and the cherries weren’t overly ripe and dipping (rather, they were “dry”). Still, it didn’t quite turn out. I think the ratios are off. The outer ring cooked and pulled away from the sides (light golden brown on the top) and the inner part is only partially baked. Overall, we can still eat it but I won’t make this again and can’t recommend it.
Hi Jenn… Oh goodness. I’m so sorry to hear this. I’m not sure why some makers’ cakes are turning out and others aren’t. I’m curious if an oven thermometer was employed? The cake batter is thicker in this recipe due to the moisture content of the cherries. Thank you for sharing your experience with me.
soggy cake, disappointing
Hi Meg! I’m so sorry to hear the cake didn’t work for you. With many five star reviews here and on social, I’m not sure what went wrong. Were there any ingredients substitutions? I’m curious if an oven thermometer was employed?
I made this gluten free for a friend who is intolerant to wheat and it worked out quiet well.
I replaced wheat flour with GF plain flour. I used less sugar down to 120grams but will use even less next time as the fruit I was using was quiet sweet. I really liked the sugar crust on top.
I was a bit heavy handed w the fruit which made my cake a bit soft on the bottom.
This is a great recipe and was super easy to follow! Thank you for sharing it.
Hi Anna! SO happy to hear the recipe worked out using GF ingredients! Thank you for sharing your tips.
How might I prepare dried cherries to add to the batter; I don’t have access to fresh or frozen cherries.
Hi Marie! Thank you for your note. For dried cherries, soak them in hot steaming water for about 15 minutes to rehydrate them. Drain and pat dry. You may want to chop them a bit before folding them into the batter. I hope this helps! Please let us know how the cake turns out!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I used cocktail cherries (Bada Bing cherries from Stonewall Kitchen) and since they are sweetened, I reduced the sugar in the cake by 2 Tbsp and also skipped the sugar topping. The level of sweetness was perfect for me and my family (we like sweet but not super sweet). The cake was buttery with a lovely almond flavor. Delicious!
Hi Amy! Thank you for your note and tip about the cocktail cherries – that sounds wonderful! So happy to hear you enjoyed the cake :D
OMG, this is the best recipe! I had to buy a whole bag of fresh sweet cherries to make a cherry smash bourbon cocktail–my new hobby in The Time of Covid–but who can drink that much alcohol before the cherries (and your liver) go bad? Then I found your recipe! Instead of making it in a cake pan, I put it in individual lined muffin cups so I’d be able to keep myself from eating the whole thing in one setting. I doubled the recipe, sprayed the muffin tins and then the paper muffin liners with coconut oil baking spray to ensure they came out without crumbling. It made 18 jumbo muffins that look like they’re the same thickness as the cake version; baked for 30 minutes. I’ll freeze them and pull out one at a time for breakfast to enjoy with my pour-through coffee. I can’t wait for morning!
OMGee Lane? Cherry Smash?! Thank you for sharing your tips and detailed notes about individual lined muffin cups (and this totally makes sense with this cake)! What a treat with your morning coffee!
So yummy! Made it twice in 7 days for colleagues, friends and family, and everyone loved it. Will have to try it with other fruit variations. Thank you for a wonderful recipe and step by step, easy to follow instructions.
Hi Nikolina! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! SO happy to hear everyone’s enjoying it… Hooray!
I made this cake for my brother-in-law’s birthday, it was easy and it was a huge hit! My brother-in-law saved the last piece for himself and decided not to share it the next day. This cake took longer to bake for me, it’s possible I had more cherries than the recipe needed. It was delicious and I will definitely make this again. 😊
I have made this cake five times in the last couple of weeks. Friends and family have all raved about it. It’s a simple cake to make with a moist crumb texture. I have made both the cherry version and a fresh peach version. Personally love the peach. It’s as suitable to eat for breakfast as after dinner! This cake is going into the “forever” dessert rotation in our house! ❤️
Oh blimey, even as an experienced cook who can improvise, I have no idea what happened but followed this recipe accurately (maybe a few more cherries, and just over on the ground almonds). Total disaster. I didn’t feel right about the lemon juice and didn’t feel that there was enough flour to maintain integrity of the sponge but trusted the recipe. I suspect my cherries were too juicy! More like a sponge topped fruit pie! 😆
Hi Clare! I’m so sorry to hear this recipe didn’t work for you. Other makers that have left notes here and on social haven’t experienced trouble, so I’m not sure what went wrong.
Delicious – love the simplicity of this cake! I used granulated sugar in the cake but used turbinado sugar for the top of the cake and that is the only change I made. I would serve it with whipped cream for company but my husband and I love it as is with coffee or after the evening meal. I don’t always have heavy cream on hand!
Hi Debbie! Thank you for your note and five star review! So happy you and your husband enjoyed the cake. Agreed about heavy cream. I hardly ever have it on hand, but I do have ice cream! :D Thank you for your tip about turbinado on top! I bet it had a really nice crunch!
I love it! I’ve made it 4 times since you posted this recipe! The last time I added a little more almond flour and less regular flour… I’ll keep trying to see what is the maximum almond flour ratio I can do… I’ll let you know the results.
In fact its a very Vanilla and Bean weekend, with Sweet Cherry cake, Chewy peanut butter granola bars – a special request from my son, and the crunchy Thai peanut noodle salad as a beach picnic item!
Hiii Alexandra! Oh my gosh, you’ve made my day! FOUR times!? I can’t wait to hear how far you push that almond flour… Please do let us know what you find. Hooray for a beach weekend! I love those granola bars – I’m working on a NO bake variety because it’s so hot out. That salad is so good for picnicking! Y’all have fun… it sounds like a blast! Thank you again, Alexandra!
I made this cake and it was a huge hit with my family. It is light, moist and not to sweet wonderful with a cup of coffee midday or for dessert. This is going into my regular rotation!
Hiii Kimbra! Thank you for leaving a note and your five star rating! SO happy to hear y’all enjoyed this scrumptious cake! And YES to regular rotation!
Hi Traci,
Apples/pears are in season in my part of the world (winter fruits). Would you suggest I cook the apples before adding or just chop them and add? Will definitely try with cherries also once we are in summer and I can buy them fresh (not imported!)
Also love that I can use coconut oil to make it quicker and easier!!
Thank you,
Hi Verna! I’ve not made this with apples, only soft summer fruits. If I were making this with apples, I’d slice them thin and slightly fan them out… omit the lemon zest and add a bit of cinnamon to that sugar sprinkle on top (nutmeg too!). If you give it a go, lease let us know how it turns out for you! I can’t wait for apple season!
Oh, I didn’t mention the interior apples! Yes, I’d chop them small.
I’ve heard of Marian’s cake, but I have yet to try it Traci. I think I may be trying yours first because, hello, bing cherries! My fave! (I get that ffrom my Dad!) Your photos make me want to reach through my screen and grab a slice!
Hi Traci! Can we use frozen cherries? Please say yes because I want to make this now and I only have frozen :) Thank you!!
I don’t see why not! Hope you enjoy Carrie!
So delicious. Made this and my only substution was little less sugar 2/3 cup
Definitely will make agai
Hi Rita! Thank you for your note, five star rating and tip on the sugar! So happy to hear!
What do I replace eggs with for vegan….flax eggs, applesauce, banana. What do you think would work best for this particular cake? Dying to make it!!
Hi Bridget! While I’ve not tested this recipe with any of the three of the egg replacers you mentioned, the one that gets my vote would be applesauce. I’ve had little success with flax eggs (perhaps I’m expecting too much?). Please let us know how it works out for you!
Thanks Traci, i’ll try the applesauce for sure. Much thanks for your prompt response.
Yes! This is my kind of cake, Traci – simple to make and full of fruit. Cherries are so plentiful and such a good deal at the market right now – this is the perfect way to use them up. I love a snacking cake this this – gorgeous and simple. I bet you could switch out the cherries for black berries or raspberries after cherry season is done. Looking forward to trying and sharing this cake – this would be a good one for me to bring into work to share!
I know you’d love this Geraldine! Indeed, it’s the perfect cake for sharing with friends at the office. Raspberries would be over the top! LMK if you give it a go and what berry you try!
Just made this tonight! So easy to follow and came out beautifully! We are a dairy-free house so I served it with a vegan chocolate sauce (vegan dark chocolate chips melted in 2Tbsp hot almond milk) drizzled on top of each slice. Perfect and not too sweet! Thanks for the recipe
Oh myyyy that chocolate drizzle, Hannah – what a delicious addition! Thank you for your tip. SO happy to hear you enjoyed the cake :D !
Cherry and almond are such a great flavor combo! I’m intrigued with your changes to the original recipe, especially subbing in the almond flour. I did make this with the plums a couple years ago and it just didn’t wow me and I was bummed after all of the rave reviews. We’ve got lots of local peaches coming in here now so I’m tempted to try it with those. This is by far my favorite time to bake with all of the fresh fruit around. Glad the heat wave is set to break a bit next week. I’ll be spending tomorrow in my friend’s pool only getting out to eat some of your quinoa tabouli that I’m bringing. Kudos to you for honing your sushi skills! Enjoy all of your weekend plans!
Isn’t it such a great time to bake, despite the heat? Exactly, Jean.. and reason for my subs. Almond flour with a hint of almond extract elevate any fruity cake IMHO. I forgot to mention, I added lemon zest too! Hooray for poolside with tabouli! Y’all stay cool and enjoy!
Cherries are my weakness right now! And I love the original plum torte recipe. I’ve done some variations on it, too (and heard you can even do a savory version with cherry tomatoes!), but now I’m drying to try your cherry version. So good! Love how they dot the surface of the cake! Very pretty presentation!
I know Liz… me too! OMG! Savory?! Of course – with all that butter! Do you leave all the sugar out… I assume add a bit of milk or buttermilk? I’m dyin’ to know!!