To be honest, the photos of this cherry cake hardly capture how delicious and extraordinary it tastes.
Cherries are one of my favorite fruits, and I love the vibrant color they lend to cakes. I’ve already made this cherry cake three times this season and still can’t get enough. This cherry cake delivers pure comfort — a slice feels like guiltless indulgence. It’s perfect with a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate on a rainy afternoon, which is exactly why I’m sharing the recipe as the monsoon approaches.
This cake is especially welcoming for guests: the warm red of the cherries against the pale, tender crumb looks inviting. For the best result, use fresh cherries.
Ingredients of the traditional cherry cake recipe
This is a classic, from-scratch cherry cake recipe. The cherry flavor shines through beautifully, supported by a subtle hint of lemon zest that balances the sweetness. If you’d like to make a larger cake or a two-tier version, simply double the ingredients. To make a quick buttermilk substitute, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to 1/4 cup milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. When grating lemon zest, only grate the yellow outer layer — the white pith is bitter and can negatively affect the cake’s flavor.
Tips to remember when baking with fresh fruits
- Cut large fruits like apples or mangoes into uniform pieces so they bake evenly.
- Always remove seeds or pits from fruits. This cherry cake requires pitting the cherries; pits can lend a bitter taste if left in.
- Juicy fruits release moisture and can thin the batter, so account for that when mixing and baking.
More Cherry Recipes
If you enjoy cherries and want more ideas, consider other cherry-infused treats. I’ve also curated many recipes in my book, Bake with Shivesh.
- Cherry Vanilla Loaf Cake
- Cherry Waffles
- Cherry Eton Mess
Moist Cherry Cake Recipe
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 cup sugar + 2 tbsp sugar (for topping)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a cake tin and dust it lightly with flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the oil and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined — do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Arrange the pitted, halved cherries on top and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
- Bake at 180°C for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 150°C and continue baking for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.