This tender, moist Cherry Almond Cake combines a delicate almond flavour with juicy fresh cherries for a simple, elegant dessert. It works well as a casual coffee cake, a light snack, or a fruity finish to any meal when cherries are in season.
Made with fresh stemmed sweet cherries, almond meal and pure almond extract, this one-layer cake bakes in a 9-inch springform pan for easy removal and presents beautifully with halved cherries on top. Below is an easy-to-follow overview plus the full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.
How to Make it
This single-layer cake is straightforward to prepare. Pitting cherries is the most time-consuming part; a cherry pitter speeds the process, but a paring knife will work in a pinch. After the cherries are prepared, the batter comes together quickly and bakes in about 25 minutes.
Exact ingredient amounts and full directions are provided in the recipe card further down.
Ingredients Overview:
- Fresh sweet cherries (stemmed, pitted)
- All-purpose flour
- Almond meal (finely ground almonds)
- Baking powder and salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Sour cream (adds moisture)
- Pure almond extract (for almond-cherry flavour)
- Optional powdered sugar for dusting
Steps Overview:
- Preheat the oven and prepare a 9-inch springform pan: grease bottom, line with parchment, and butter sides.
- Rinse cherries, remove stems, and reserve 15 cherries for the top of the cake.
- Pit and quarter the remaining cherries; place quartered cherries on paper towel, cut side down, to absorb excess juice.
- Pit and halve the 15 reserved cherries and keep them separate from the quartered fruit.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt).
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add eggs one at a time.
- Beat in sour cream and almond extract.
- Slowly incorporate the dry mixture on low speed until just combined, then fold in the quartered cherries.
- Spread batter in pan, arrange halved cherries cut side down on top, and bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Tips:
- Pure almond extract is potent—measure carefully; a small amount gives a lovely nutty note that complements cherries.
- Placing halved cherries on top prevents all the fruit from sinking and gives an attractive finish.
- If you don’t have a cherry pitter, split each cherry with a paring knife and remove the pit with your fingers.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature before dusting with powdered sugar or serving with ice cream.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this fresh cherry and almond cake at room temperature with a cup of coffee or tea. It also pairs well with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a more indulgent dessert.
Storage Instructions
Store the cake loosely covered at room temperature for two to three days. For longer keeping, cover and refrigerate for up to five days. To freeze, wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil; freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving (about 30 minutes out of the fridge).
How to Freeze Cherries
If you have more cherries than you can use fresh, prepare them for freezing: rinse, remove stems, pit (recommended), and dry. Lay cherries in a single layer on a baking tray and freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag to prevent clumping. Properly frozen cherries keep around 12 months and are convenient for smoothies, pies, or fruit crumbles.
More Cakes Made with Fresh Fruit
- Plum Upside-Down Cake
- Peach Blueberry Cake
- Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
- Mini Apple Spice Bundt Cakes
Cherry Almond Cake
Author: Adapted from Joy of Baking
This simple fresh Cherry Almond Cake has a tender crumb, a delicate almond flavour, and plenty of juicy cherries.
Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Total Time: 55 mins
Servings: 10 Calories: 268 kcal (approx.)
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole fresh stemmed sweet cherries (about 350 g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (130 g)
- 1/2 cup finely ground almonds (almond meal) (55 g)
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113 g), softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream (80 ml), full-fat preferred
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1–2 tablespoons powdered sugar, optional for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Grease the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, line with parchment, and grease the sides and paper.
- Rinse cherries and set aside 15 whole cherries for the top.
- Pit and quarter the remaining cherries. If using a cherry pitter, this is quick; otherwise, split with a paring knife and remove pits by hand.
- Pit and halve the 15 reserved cherries and place them cut side down on paper towels to absorb excess juice.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In a mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition.
- Beat in sour cream and almond extract; the batter may look slightly curdled—this is normal.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture and mix only until combined.
- Fold the quartered cherries gently into the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and arrange the halved cherries on top, cut side down.
- Bake about 25 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving.
Notes
- Pure almond extract is strong; use the amount specified for a balanced flavour.
- Using halved cherries on top helps keep the fruit evenly distributed and prevents sinking.
- If you don’t have a cherry pitter, halve the cherries with a paring knife and remove the pits by hand.
- The cake tastes best served at room temperature.
Nutrition (approx. per serving)
Calories: 268 kcal • Carbohydrates: 32 g • Protein: 4 g • Fat: 14 g • Saturated Fat: 7 g • Cholesterol: 61 mg • Sodium: 78 mg • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 20 g