Fluffy Sour Cherry Cake

Enjoy our soft and fluffy sour cherry cake made in just a few steps using simple, seasonal ingredients. And the best thing? You can bake this delicious cake with almost any fruit or berries you like. 

Perfect for any occasion or just as a sweet pick-me-up, this sour cherry cake is a wonderful treat for the entire family. Check out another easy recipe and make some Chocolate Cherry Brownies.

Why do we love this recipe?

• Versatile: We love to make this simple cake when fresh sour cherries are in season, but rest assured: you can bake this easy cherry cake with sweet cherries, frozen and defrosted sour or sweet cherries, or cherries canned in light syrup.
• Taste and texture: It's a perfect combination of tart cherries and sweet, soft, moist cake that will please just about anyone.
• Affordable: The fruit can be reasonably priced during the cherry season, making this cake an affordable and delicious option. It is also the perfect dessert to make when you have a cherry tree in your garden.
• Easy preparation: The recipe is straightforward, making it accessible to both novice and experienced bakers. You won't have to spend hours in the kitchen to achieve a delicious result.
• Crowd-Pleaser: The balanced sweetness and tanginess of cherries and the cake’s fluffiness make it a favorite among kids, but not only; this sour cherry cake is a real crowd-pleaser.

Recipe ingredients

• Cherries: Sour cherries are great if you have them. However, as mentioned above, you can bake this easy cake recipe with fresh sweet cherries, with frozen cherries (either sweet or sour), or with cherries canned in light syrup. 
  • You will need about 7 oz (200 g) pitted cherries. Buy about 9 oz (250 g) fruit to ensure you have the required amount after pitting. 
• Eggs: Four large eggs at room temperature. 
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to the cake, balancing out the sourness of the cherries. 
• All-purpose flour or cake flour.
• Baking powder: The leavening agent that helps the baked goods rise.
• Oil: Keeps the cake moist and tender. It also provides a lighter texture compared to cakes made with butter. I use neutral-flavored canola oil. Don’t use olive oil or any other oil with a strong flavor. 
• Whole milk: Contributes to the cake's moisture and tenderness. It also helps create a smooth batter, ensuring an even distribution of ingredients.
• Vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to increase the flavor. 
• Other ingredients: Granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder.

​Equipment

• Baking dish: I used 10x8 inches (25x21 cm) baking dish. A bit more or less than that is perfectly fine, but you might have to adjust the baking time slightly: a bit less if the dish is slightly larger and a bit more if the dish is slightly smaller.
  • You can also use a 9-inch (22 cm) springform or a 9-inch cake pan.
• Electric mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment.

How to make sour cherry cake?

• Preheat the oven and line the baking dish with parchment paper. 
• Wash, dry, and pit the fruit. Set it aside. 

Wet ingredients:

• Separate the eggs.
• Whip egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form (1). 
• Beat the egg yolks and the sugar in a separate bowl until light and fluffy (2).
• Add vanilla extract and combine shortly. 
• Gradually add the oil and the milk. 

Dry ingredients:

• Mix the flour and the baking powder in another bowl.
• Sieve the flour mixture over the egg mixture and fold them in gently using a spoon or a rubber spatula (3).
• Carefully fold in the beaten egg whites as well (4).

Bake and cool:

• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
• Sprinkle the cherries evenly and in a single layer on top of the batter (5). 
• Bake the sour cherry cake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. The cherry should be lightly golden brown, not too dark (6).
• Leave to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Carefully lift it from the dish and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Toppings

• You can sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar or glaze it with a simple icing sugar glaze. 
• You can also serve it with vanilla sauce, a dollop of freshly whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or full-fat simple or vanilla Greek yogurt.

Expert Tips

• The most important tip: Use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). 
• Room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients ensures even mixing, improved volume, better incorporation, faster baking, optimal chemical reactions, and baking consistency, leading to a delicious and perfectly textured sour cherry cake.
• Frozen fruit: If using frozen fruit, let it thaw and drain in a sieve. Pat it a bit dry with paper towels to remove the extra liquid. 
• Pit Removal: If using fresh cherries, invest in a cherry pitter tool to easily remove the pits. It will save you time and effort during the preparation.
• Don't Overmix: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can result in a dense and tough cake.

Recipe FAQ

How to store cherry cake?

• Let it cool completely, then place it in an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days. 
• If you want to store it for a longer period, refrigerate the cake for up to 4-5 days. Before serving, allow the refrigerated cake to come to room temperature.
• Freeze: Wrap it well in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months and defrost it in the fridge or on the counter. 
• You can also freeze the individual slices on a large plate or on a baking sheet. Once solid, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container. This procedure will allow you to defrost only small portions of the cake. 

Check out the web story for this recipe: Try this Sour Cherry Cake

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📖 Recipe

Fluffy Sour Cherry Cake

Try our soft and fluffy sour cherry cake! It's easy to make with simple, fresh ingredients. The best part? You can use your favorite fruits or berries to bake this cake too!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 pieces

Calories: 178kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

• Baking dish 10x8 inches/ 25x21 cm Note 2
• Electric mixer or stand mixer

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Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 9 oz sour cherries Note 3
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• pinch of salt
• ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 g
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup canola oil or another neutral-tasting oil, 80 ml
• ½ cup whole milk 120 ml
• 2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 275 g
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• powdered sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Grease the baking dish and line its bottom and walls with parchment paper.
• Cherries: Wash, dry, pit them, and set them aside.
• Eggs: Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Beat the egg yolks and the sugar in a separate bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and combine shortly.
• Gradually add the oil and the milk.
• Mix the flour and the baking powder in another bowl. Sieve them over the batter and fold them in gently using a spoon or a rubber spatula. Carefully fold in the beaten egg whites.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the cherries evenly on top.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Leave to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Carefully lift the sour cherry cake from the dish and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Serve: Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar just before serving. Or serve it with vanilla sauce, a dollop of heavy cream, or vanilla ice cream. You can also sprinkle the cake with a simple icing sugar glaze.

Notes

1. Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). I did my best to measure the flour in cups, but I still recommend using a scale.
2. Baking dish: I used 10x8 inches (25x21 cm) baking dish. A bit more or less than that is ok, but you might have to adjust the baking time slightly: a bit less if the dish is slightly larger and a bit more if the dish is slightly smaller.
   You can also use a 9-inch (22 cm) springform or cake pan.
3. Cherries: You can bake the cake with fresh sour or sweet cherries, frozen and defrosted sour or sweet cherries, or sweet or sour cherries canned in light syrup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 72IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

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