Cherry Cake: the easy recipe for a beautiful summery dessert

If you're a keen home baker with an undeniable sweet tooth, you'll love this easy cherry cake recipe. Each bite has a rich, sweet cherry flavor and a light, moist, and tender texture. Cherry cake is made with glacé cherries, ground almonds, almond milk, sugar, eggs, and butter. It's moist and buttery with a subtle almond flavor that complements the cherries beautifully. Homemade cherry cake is perfect for the holidays, as a delicious tea cake for afternoon tea, or as a delectable snack that everyone is sure to enjoy.

How to Make Cherry Cake

Homemade cherry cake is an easy-to-make cake that's perfect for summer. Start by slicing the cherries into smaller pieces. This will help stop them from sinking into the batter and make sure they're more evenly distributed throughout your cake. Next, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat the eggs in, one at a time. Combine the flour and baking soda then gently fold  the flour mixture into the butter mixture, making sure not to over mix the batter. The next step is essential – toss half the cherries in almond flour, then fold them into the batter along with the almond milk and extract. Pour the batter into your greased cake tin and add the remaining cherries. Bake the cake and before you know it, you'll have a gorgeous homemade cherry cake to enjoy as a light snack.

Tips for Making the Best Homemade Cherry Cake 

– While this recipe calls for glacé cherries, you can also use fresh or frozen ones. Fresh cherries are especially delicious in the summer months when they're in season.

– You can make this cake gluten-free by substituting the all-purpose flour for the gluten-free flour of your choice. Almond flour is an excellent option as it will enhance the almond flavor of the cake.

– For a vegan-friendly version of this cake, use oil instead of butter and flax eggs instead of regular eggs. Using oil will also make the cake extra moist.

How to Prevent Cherries from Sinking into Cherry Cake Batter

Dusting the cherries in the ground almonds will help prevent them from sinking into the batter, so be sure you don't skip that step! Cutting the cherries into smaller pieces will also help stop them from sinking.

How to Store Cherry Cake

Store leftover cherry cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Can You Freeze Cherry Cake?

You can keep your cherry cake fresh for longer by wrapping it in cling film and putting it in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freezing it. Frozen cherry cake lasts 4 to 6 months.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 355°F. Lightly grease a cake pan with butter or cooking spray.

Dry the cherries and cut them into quarters.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating them into the mixture after each addition.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.

Whisk to combine, then fold into the butter mixture.

In a small bowl, toss the ground almonds.

Add ½ cup of cherries.

Fold the milk into cherry mixture.

Add the almond extract into the batter.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin.

Even out the top with a spatula.

Press the remaining cherries into the cake.

Bake for 50 minutes, then remove from the oven, cover with foil, and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes in the cake pan.

Then remove the cake from the tin and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

You'll know the cake has finished baking when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.