Cherry Chip Cake Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A cherry-spiked staple reworked with a splash of orange zest and pecans for crunch. Soft buttery crumb stained pink with cherry juice, speckled with flour-coated maraschino bits to keep fruit from sinking. Butter and shortening blend in the frosting for richness with a hint of almond tempered by vanilla and a dash of citrus. Slightly less sugar but more flavor complexity. Bake by eye, listen for the cake’s hollow thud. Layered and frosted with reserved dollops crowned by cherries - classic look, unexpected twist. Simple swap for all-purpose flour plus fresh orange zest adds zing. Timing nudged a bit to suit ovens that run hotter or cooler. Mouthwatering but not overwhelmed. Old-school taste meets kitchen instinct. Utensils handy: offset spatula, Ziploc bag, toothpick, paper towel trick for drying cherries. No spread, no bitterness, no soggy fruit.
Prep:
30 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#American dessert
#cherry cake
#baking tips
#frosting techniques
#pecan cake
Cherry cake, the one I’m stubborn about. Tried so many ways—always ended up too wet, too dense, or cherries sinking like lead. Learned the hard way: dry cherries save the day. Toss in flour, so they float. That cherry juice? Not wasted, it stains the batter pink and sneaks in the cherry punch. Butter and shortening tag-team frosting for balance—wife hates grainy sugar, so slow sift and drizzle liquid helps. Added orange zest and pecans for crunch and surprise. Baking times move, ovens breathe. I look, touch, smell. Toothpick clean, top gently springs back, that almond-cherry scent fills the air. Then frost, then pipe, then cherries on top. Sometimes simple tweaks make this nostalgic cake worth every crumb.
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons for cherries
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 5 drops red food coloring
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped and dried on paper towel
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional twist)
Frosting ingredients===
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
About the ingredients
Swapped cake flour to all-purpose; added orange zest because why not shake things up. Cherries dried on towels, tossed in a bit more flour to keep from dead sinking. Tried less sugar here—cherry juice adds sweetness anyway. Butter softened but not melted, always room temp for easy cream. Shortening keeps frosting stable on hot days; can skip but frosting becomes softer and less reliable. Milk whole for moisture; skim or low fat dulls crumb. Vanilla and almond extracts essential; almond is subtle but key. Pecans optional; adds texture and deeper flavor. Food coloring just a few drops, to avoid artificial bomb. Ingredients flexible but technique critical.
Method
Cake Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grab two 9-inch pans, spray with baking spray or lightly butter and flour. No shortcuts; no soggy bottoms later.
- Cherry prep matters. Slotted spoon cherries from jar. Chop enough for 1/2 cup once dry. Lay chopped cherries on thick paper towels to soak excess juice. Too wet and batter sags, cake dense and sad.
- Measure 1/3 cup leftover cherry juice separately for liquid add-in.
- Mix dry: sift together flour, baking powder, salt. Set aside. Sift prevents weird lumps and flaky pockets.
- Butter and sugar go into stand mixer or large bowl for handheld. Beat medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 90 seconds. You’re aerating fat to lighten crumb.
- Slow mixer to medium speed; drop eggs one by one. Don’t rush, each must incorporate fully or batter splits.
- Lower to low. Alternate adding flour mixture and combo of milk, cherry juice, vanilla, almond extract. Dry-wet-dry-wet. Just mix until blended. Overmix toughens cake. Stop at streaks disappearing.
- Add red food coloring; stir in gently. Less is more; paints batter pink but don’t go clown-red.
- Toss dried cherries and 1 1/2 tablespoon flour in small bowl till coated. This keeps cherries from sinking like stones to pan bottom.
- Fold coated cherries plus optional pecans into batter carefully. Love those crunchy nuggets.
- Divide batter evenly—scale or eyeball—into pans. Smooth tops for even rise. Tap pans lightly to settle batter and release air bubbles.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Start checking at 28. Toothpick done when clean, or few moist crumbs. Cake should spring back lightly to touch, emit sweet almond-cherry scent. Listen for hollow sound when gently tapped on top. Burn this and yours is bitter, dry, and sad.
- Cool cakes completely on racks before touching or frosting. If still warm, frosting melts into sad pools.
Frosting
- Beat butter and shortening together medium-high until fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. This combo makes frosting stable but not greasy.
- Slow speed, add powdered sugar cup by cup until just combined. Don't faceplant into bowl here or you’ll get a sugar storm.
- Increase to medium speed, drizzle in half-and-half, vanilla, almond extract till smooth and pipeable. If too thick, add splash more milk; if too thin, extra powdered sugar. This balance shifts by humidity and brand.
- Reserve about 1/4 cup frosting for topping dollops.
Assembly
- Place one cake layer on plate or stand. Use offset spatula to spread an even layer of frosting on top. Skim but don’t scrape cake, keep edges neat.
- Top with second cake layer. Pat gently to settle but not squish.
- Spread remaining frosting over top and sides, aim for smooth or rustic as you prefer.
- Fill piping bag or Ziploc with reserved frosting. Pipe 8 quarter-sized swirls evenly spaced around cake top.
- Garnish each swirl with a maraschino cherry with stem intact. Adds class and a juicy bite at the end.
- Store covered at room temp 1-2 days or fridge if longer. Let cake come to room temp before serving for best texture and flavor.
Tips and Substitutions
- Flour swap: all-purpose fine here, but cake flour good if you have it, reduce by 2 tablespoons.
- Butter substitute: salty butter adds flavor but adjust salt in dry ingredients. Or half butter half neutral oil, less sturdy crumb though.
- Milk: whole milk for richness, but 2% works, avoid skim or frosting struggles.
- Cherry juice substitute: cranberry or pomegranate juice interesting alternative, tarts up flavor.
- Almond extract sneakily boosts cherry; vanilla alone works but loses depth.
- Want nut-free? Skip pecans, try mini chocolate chips for texture surprise.
- Cherries can be dried in microwave between paper towel shells for 15 seconds bursts or air-dried overnight to avoid sogginess.
- Watch bake times, ovens vary. The toothpick test ultimate guide. Wait for golden edges before testing center.
- Frosting can split if adding liquids too fast; drizzle while mixing. Don’t overbeat after adding sugar; frosting aerates but too long causes graininess.
- Cake layers can be sliced horizontally for thinner tiers if you want multi-tiered elegance or smaller portion slices.
- If cake cracks on top, lower oven temp by 15 degrees next time, or cover with foil halfway through baking.
- Use parchment rounds in pan for easier removal; if none, grease thoroughly and flour pans.
- Chilling cakes for 30 mins before frosting firm up crumb and prevent smearing.
- Experience is king: subtle shifts in lemon zest or cherry quantity change the flavor vibe. Adjust with intuition, trust your nose and eyes.
Cooking tips
Start with dry ingredients sifted - lumps kill cake texture. Beat butter/sugar till fluffy to trap air, quick but not overdone. Eggs added slow; no rushing, batter and butter must marry. Alternating wet and dry keeps batter smooth. Fold cherries coated in flour, not dumped; preserves crumb lightness and prevents wet pockets. Tap pans before baking to bubble roots rise well. Oven heat varies - use smell and touch—surface springiness, toothpick clean, faint almond aroma. Frosting mixing: add powdered sugar slowly to avoid powder explosion. Liquid drizzled while mixing prevents frosting wateriness. Assembly gentle but even, gives structure. Piping frosting with a bag or ziplock, whatever fits. Cherries on dollops give classic, old-fashioned cake vibe. Patience pays—cool cakes for hours or frosting melts and slides off. Store covered, bring to room temp before slicing. Watch for cracking, lower heat next time or cover. Little alterations in juice or zest make big flavor differences. Trust senses over timers.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Dry cherries on paper towels. Toss with extra flour before folding. Stops sinking, avoids dense pockets. Dried carefully, no soggy batter or heavy crumb. Small step but huge lift in cake texture. Cherry juice adds sweet pink stain but liquid must be measured separately. Too much juice, cake sags, too wet; too little, missing flavor punch.
- 💡 Beat butter and sugar medium-high till pale and fluffy. Aerates fat, traps air. Crucial for crumb lift. Egg addition slow, one at a time. Rush eggs, batter can split or toughen. Alternate wet and dry ingredients. Stop mixing when streaks vanish. Overspeed, overshake batter, tough crumb follows. Red food color last, gentle stir only. Keep pink, avoid clown-red mess.
- 💡 Fold dried cherries and pecans carefully. Flour coats cherries to suspend fruit evenly. Add nuts optional, adds crunch and texture contrast. Tap pans gently before baking. Settles batter, releases air bubbles, prevents rough top. Bake start checking 28 mins, toothpick clean or moist crumbs okay. Light spring back and almond-cherry scent cues doneness. Burnt ends ruin flavor fast.
- 💡 Frosting mix butter and shortening medium-high till fluffy, 1.5 min. Stabilizes without grease. Add powdered sugar slowly, cup by cup. Avoid sugar storms or dust clouds. Drizzle half-and-half and extracts while mixing medium speed. Adjust consistency with milk or powdered sugar, humidity swings impact feel. Don’t overbeat after sugar or grainy frosting forms. Reserve dollops for pipe; topping cherries anchor classic cake look.
- 💡 Cool cakes completely before frosting or frosting melts pools. Chill for 30 minutes if possible. Use offset spatula to spread frosting even but gentle; scraping scrapes away crumb and creates holes. Piping bag or ziplock handy for topping swirls, adds structure and class. Keep cherries with stems intact for juicy bites and better grip on frosting. Cake stores room temp 1-2 days or fridge longer, but bring to RT before slicing for best crumb and flavor release.
Common questions
How to prevent cherries sinking?
Dry cherries on paper towels, coat in 1 1/2 tbsp flour. Keeps them suspended. Wet cherries sink heavy, cause dense bottoms. Also fold in last, gentle not aggressive. Watch moisture content overall.
Can I swap cake flour?
Use all-purpose but reduce by 2 tbsp if you want lighter crumb. Cake flour softens texture but all-purpose works with good beat and gentle folding. Don’t skip sifting either. Adds air, no lumps.
What signals cake doneness?
Toothpick should come out clean or with few moist crumbs. Cake springs back when lightly pressed. Sweet almond cherry scent. Hollow sound if tapped gently on top. Burnt smell means overdone, dry cake.
How to store leftovers?
Cover loosely room temp 1 to 2 days or fridge for longer. Bring back to room temp before serving. Frosting firms up in fridge; warm crumb releases flavors better. Avoid condensation on cake. Wrap well to prevent drying.
