Cherry Cake (Easy Recipe) – Dassana’s Veg Recipes

Cherry Cake is a soft, moist and egg-free cake made with fresh cherries, flour, sugar, oil and vanilla. Fresh cherries are folded into a light cake batter and baked until soft and tender. This simple homemade Cherry Cake is perfect for tea time with a cup of tea or coffee. You can also serve it as a dessert.

About Fresh Cherry Cake

Fresh cherries make some of the best seasonal bakes, and this Cherry Cake is one that I look forward to making whenever cherries are available. It is simple, easy to prepare and does not need any special equipment besides an oven.

This Cherry Cake recipe uses fresh cherries instead of canned or preserved ones. Their natural sweetness and slight tartness pair well with the soft Vanilla Cake batter.

I have made this cake with Indian cherries that are commonly available during the season. You can also use imported sweet cherries with equally good results.

The cherries are pitted, halved and lightly coated with flour before adding them to the batter. This simple step helps keep them from sinking to the bottom while baking.

If you do not own a cherry pitter, there is no need to worry. Slice each cherry around the seed with a small knife, twist the two halves apart and remove the pit. I use this simple avocado-style method whenever I make this cake.

A little cornstarch is added along with the flour. It lowers the overall protein in the batter, giving the cherry cake a softer, more tender crumb.

The batter is made with oil instead of butter, which keeps the cake moist and soft. The milk and vinegar mixture also helps create a tender crumb.

The sweetness can be adjusted depending on the cherries you use. If they are naturally very sweet, you can reduce the sugar slightly. If they are more tart, use the full amount mentioned in the recipe or add a little more if needed.

Bake this cherry cake cake in a 7-inch round or square pan for a taller tea cake. An 8-inch pan also works, but the cake will be slightly flatter.

If you have more fresh cherries to use, try these cherry recipes: Cherry Cobbler | Cherry Smoothie | Black Forest Cake

How to Make Cherry Cake (Stepwise)

Prepare Cherries

1. Rinse 200 grams of fresh cherries well. Remove the stems, pit them and cut each cherry into halves.

To pit the cherries, cut around the seed with a small knife, twist the cherry open and remove the pit. This is the same method used for cutting an Avocado and works well if you do not have a cherry pitter.

Place the halved cherries in a bowl.

2. Grease a 7-inch round or a square cake pan or loaf pan with oil or butter. You can also line the base with parchment paper.

Prepare Buttermilk

3. In a small bowl or measuring jug, combine ¾ cup milk (dairy or plant-based) and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. You can also use regular white vinegar.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (356 degrees F) for 15 minutes.

4. Mix and let it rest for 10 minutes. The milk will become slightly thick and lightly curdled.

Note: Dairy milk will usually curdle after resting. Plant-based milk may only thicken slightly, which is perfectly fine.

Sift Dry Ingredients

5. Into a sieve placed over a plate or bowl, add:

• 180 grams (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
• 20 grams (3 tablespoons) cornstarch – known as cornflour in India
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 pinch salt

6. Sift everything together once or twice so the ingredients are evenly mixed.

Coat Cherries With Flour

7. Add 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour to the halved cherries in the bowl.

8. Toss gently until all the cherries are evenly coated. Set aside.

Make Cake Batter

9. To the prepared buttermilk mixture, add:

• ¼ cup neutral-flavored oil (I used sunflower oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

10. Next add 150 grams (¾ cup) sugar. I used raw sugar.

11. Whisk very well until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks smooth and evenly combined.

12. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

13. Using a wired whisk, mix gently just until you have a smooth batter. Avoid over-mixing. A few tiny lumps are perfectly fine.

The batter should be medium-thick and flowing.

14. Add about ¾ of the flour-coated cherries to the batter.

15. Using a spatula, gently fold them into the batter until evenly distributed.

Bake Cherry Cake

16. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan gently on the countertop a few times to release any air bubbles.

17. Scatter or arrange the remaining ¼ of the cherries over the surface of the batter.

Tip: The flour coating on the cherries may still be visible after baking. Brush the warm baked cake lightly with a simple sugar syrup made with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon water. This gives the cherries a glossy finish and helps soften the floury appearance.

18. Place the cake pan with the batter in the preheated oven.

19. Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees C (356 degrees F) for 50 to 55 minutes. The cake should be golden, and a skewer or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Note: The exact baking time will vary depending on your oven.

20. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely.

21. Carefully remove the Cherry Cake from the pan.

Note: Since the cherries release some juice as they bake, you may notice a very thin film of moist cake sticking to the parchment paper or pan when unmolding. This is completely normal and does not mean the cake is underbaked.

Serve the Cherry Cake as it is with a cup of tea or coffee, or lightly dust it with powdered sugar before serving if you like.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Cherry Cake at room temperature.

It makes a lovely tea-time cake with ginger tea, black tea, Green Tea or coffee. You can also serve it as a simple dessert after a meal.

For a festive touch, dust the Cherry Cake lightly with powdered sugar just before serving. A scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or a dollop of lightly whipped cream also pairs well with warm slices.

Storage

Store the Cherry Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day.

For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 4 to 5 days. Bring the slices to room temperature before serving, or warm them gently in a microwave for a few seconds.

Dassana’s Baking Tips

1. Choose ripe cherries: Use ripe, firm cherries that are sweet with a slight tartness. Both Indian and imported cherries work well in this recipe.
2. Pit the cherries easily: If you do not have a cherry pitter, cut each cherry around the pit, twist the halves apart and remove the seed. This simple avocado-style method works very well.
3. Coat with flour: Tossing the cherries with a little flour helps reduce sinking and distributes them more evenly through the cake.
4. Cornstarch matters: Adding a little cornstarch lowers the protein content of the flour, giving the cake a softer and more tender crumb.
5. Do not over-mix: Mix the ingredients for the batter only until combined. Over-mixing develops gluten and can make the cake dense or chewy instead of soft.
6. Adjust the sugar: If your cherries are very sweet, you can reduce the sugar to about 120 to 140 grams. For tart cherries, use the full 150 grams or add a little more if needed.
7. Baking time may vary: Every oven bakes differently, so start checking the cake after about 50 minutes. It is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Try the almond variation: For a richer flavor, replace 20 grams of all-purpose flour with 20 grams almond flour. Cherry and almond are a classic combination.

More Fruit Based Cake Recipes To Try