Cherry Cream Cake
A luscious, scratch-made cherry cream cake featuring a tender, velvety crumb, juicy tart cherries, and a cloud-like whipped cream cheese frosting that holds its shape beautifully.
- Reverse-creaming coats the flour in butter, preventing excess gluten formation for a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Tossing the cherries in flour creates friction, preventing them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
- Whipping cream cheese into the heavy cream stabilizes the frosting naturally, ensuring it doesn't weep or slide off the cake.
My first attempt at baking a cherry cake ended with me scraping a scorched, gluey purple paste off the bottom of my favorite Nordic Ware pan while my sister laughed so hard she had to sit on the kitchen floor. I had dumped a whole can of cheap pie filling straight into a box mix, hoping for a shortcut, but instead created a structural disaster. If you love fruit-forward desserts but want to start with something a bit more traditional, our Raspberry Cake is a fantastic alternative.
It was a humbling lesson in cake physics.
The problem with adding fresh or canned cherries to a standard cake batter is their high water content, which steam-releases during baking and completely disrupts the delicate gluten network. When that moisture escapes, it turns the surrounding crumb into a soggy, gummy pocket, while the heavy fruit sinks straight to the bottom like lead weights. If you want the flavor of cherries without the baking hassle, you can always make our No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Dessert.
To fix this, we need to coat the cherries in a tiny bit of flour to help them cling to the batter, and use a reverse-creaming method to coat the flour's proteins in fat before any liquid is introduced. This technique limits gluten development, resulting in an incredibly tender, velvety crumb that can actually support the weight of the fruit.
Trust me on this one, this method is absolutely foolproof and yields a cake that rivals any high-end bakery version.
Cherry Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 250g all-purpose flour (plus 1 tablespoon for tossing with cherries)
- 200g granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 115g unsalted butter, softened and cubed
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 120ml whole milk, room temperature
- 60ml sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp almond extract
- 200g fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
- 225g brick cream cheese, softened
- 100g powdered sugar
- 240ml heavy whipping cream, cold
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan or round cake pan.
- In a medium bowl, toss the pitted and halved cherries with 1 tablespoon of flour until evenly coated, then set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Mix on low for 30 seconds to combine.
- Add the cubed, softened butter one piece at a time while the mixer is running on low. Continue mixing until the mixture resembles wet sand and no large butter chunks remain.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- With the mixer on low, slowly pour in about half of the wet ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute to aerate and build the cake's structure.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the remaining wet ingredients in two batches, mixing just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
- Gently fold in the flour-coated cherries using a rubber spatula, ensuring they are evenly distributed without overworking the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a clean bowl until completely smooth and free of lumps.
- Slowly pour in the cold heavy whipping cream while beating on medium-low speed. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream cheese frosting generously over the cooled cake, and garnish with fresh cherries if desired.
Notes
- Always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if you are using fine table salt or Morton's kosher salt, cut the volume in half (use 1/4 teaspoon instead of 1/2 teaspoon) to avoid an overly salty crumb.
- Do not skip the sour cream in the batter. The lactic acid in sour cream weakens gluten strands, ensuring a tender crumb, while its fat content adds rich moisture without thinning out the batter.
- Keep a close eye on your oven during the last 5 minutes of baking; because of the natural sugars in the cherries, the cake can transition from perfectly golden to scorched very quickly.
- This cake actually tastes better on day two. As it sits in the fridge, the moisture from the cherries migrates slightly into the surrounding crumb, making it incredibly juicy and flavorful.
- Use brick-style cream cheese for the frosting, never the spreadable tub variety. Tub cream cheese contains added water and stabilizers that will liquefy your frosting, leaving you with a runny mess.
Serving Suggestions
This cake is a showstopper on its own, but you can easily elevate the presentation and flavor profile with a few simple additions. If you are hosting a larger gathering, pairing this with a classic Strawberry Shortcake bar creates a stunning summer dessert spread.
- Serve each slice with a warm drizzle of homemade cherry compote to contrast the cold, creamy frosting.
- Dust the top of the frosted cake with a light grating of dark chocolate for a subtle Black Forest vibe.
- Pair a slice with a hot cup of espresso or a light, floral black tea to cut through the richness of the cream cheese.
- Garnish the platter with fresh mint leaves and whole, stem-on cherries for a beautiful, rustic bakery look.
Storage and Reheating
Because of the fresh dairy in the whipped cream cheese frosting, this cake must be stored in the refrigerator. Wrap it loosely in plastic wrap or place it under a cake dome to prevent it from absorbing any stray fridge odors.
It will keep beautifully in the fridge for up to four days.
In fact, the flavors meld together even more overnight, making day-two slices absolutely spectacular as the cherry juices slowly migrate into the surrounding crumb. If you love creamy, cherry-infused treats that require zero oven time, check out our Rich Cherry Cheesecake which stores beautifully in the fridge.
If you want to freeze the cake, it is best to do so unfrosted. Wrap the cooled cake layers tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, then freeze for up to three months.
Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.
Ingredient Substitutes
If you don't have all the ingredients on hand, here are some easy swaps that won't ruin your cake.
- Fresh Cherries: You can use frozen cherries; just thaw them completely, drain them thoroughly on paper towels, and toss them in flour before adding to the batter.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat plain Greek yogurt makes an excellent 1:1 substitute and provides the same necessary acidity.
- Almond Extract: If you have a nut allergy, simply omit the almond extract and increase the vanilla extract to 1.5 teaspoons.
- All-Purpose Flour: For a gluten-free option, use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend containing xanthan gum.
I hope this cake brings as much joy to your table as it does to mine, minus the scorched pan drama of my early baking days. Happy baking, and don't forget to save a few extra cherries for snacking while you prep!
Susan Rosie
I've spent over 12 years perfecting recipes so you can cook with confidence. Every dish on Storied Skillet is tested multiple times – because your dinner matters. I believe in simple ingredients, clear instructions, and big flavors.
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