This is a simple seasonal cake that is sweet and easy to make. It has juicy cherries and a wonderful crumb. It's great for snacking and for afternoon tea. It's soft and remains moist for a few days. And it can be frozen.
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A simple seasonal cake
It's like a cherry coffee cake without the streusel, a dense but soft cake, courtesy of the sour cream in the batter.
You can make it a day ahead, and it will be fresh and moist. You can also freeze it for up to a month; make sure it's well-wrapped.
Take advantage of sweet Summer cherries, they're cheaper and more flavorful. Bake this cake if you want something to snack on, or opt for a dessert like a cherry cobbler or a rustic cherry galette. They're all such a treat.
FAQ
It adds moisture and richness, making the crumb dense but not heavy. It's a common ingredient in coffee cakes and some pound cakes.
Sour cherries, also known as tart or pie cherries, are generally considered the best type for baking. They hold well after baking and have a tangy flavor with enough acidity to counteract the richness of the batter.
Though I always favor seasonal fresh sweet cherries, this cake can be made year-round with frozen, pitted ones. It's a great way to add some brightness on dull days.
Steps to make this cherry cake
It's a butter cake topped with fruit slices and dusted with sugar.
Cake batter
If the batter looks curdled when you beat the butter with sugar and eggs, it will smooth out when you add the flour mixture.
But still, make sure the ingredients are at the temperature specified in the recipe.
Sifting
It's important to sift the dry ingredients and the spices to ensure no clumps get into the batter.
Final batter
The final batter is thick and smooth. Even it out in the pan before adding the cherries. An offset spatula is a great utensil for this.
Cherries
They need to be pitted and a cherry pitter is needed for this. I also recommend halving them.
Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of sugar before baking for a crunchier top.
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Cherry Cake (with sour cream)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional
- 2 cups pitted, halved cherries
- 1 tablespoon sugar, to sprinkle before baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Grease with butter or shortening (or use baking spray) a 9-inch round, springform cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the soft butter and sour cream with an electric mixer until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Gradually add sugar while beating at medium/high speed, until light in color and the sugar is partially dissolved, about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter might look curdled at this point but it will be fine after the dry ingredients are added.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix.
- Sift the flour mixture (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) and add it in 2 parts. I have them measured and sift them directly into the batter, but you can sift them separately if that's more convenient for you. Mix well at low speed, but don't overbeat at this point; otherwise, the cake will be tough after it's baked.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
- Scatter the cherry pieces on top of the cake, covering most of the surface.
- Sprinkle with the tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake for about 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Important: if the top is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum paper after 40-45 minutes of baking. This will prevent it from darkening further but the cake will still continue to bake. Start checking for doneness at the lowest time specified in this recipe and have patience until it's fully baked. It might take a little more (than the highest time specified) depending on your oven, especially for round cakes.
- Let cool on a wire rack and carefully remove the cake from the pan.
- Dust with powdered sugar if you want before eating and serve plain or with a dollop of whipped cream and extra cherries.
- It keeps well for a day or two at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap or under a cake dome. After that refrigerate or freeze, always well wrapped.
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