This easy Cherry Almond Cake is tender, moist and gently flavored with almond. Fresh sweet cherries are folded into the batter and the top is decorated with halved cherries for a beautiful finish.
Homemade desserts shine when ingredients are in season, and this Cherry Almond Cake is especially delicious when cherries are at their peak. The cake is light enough for a mid-afternoon snack and elegant enough to serve as a simple dessert.
This one-layer cake is baked in a 9-inch springform pan for easy removal. Pitting cherries takes a bit of time, but a cherry pitter speeds the process. Once the cherries are prepped the batter comes together quickly.
How to Make it
Below is an overview of the ingredients and steps. Exact amounts are listed in the recipe card further down.
Ingredients Overview:
- Fresh sweet cherries
- All-purpose flour
- Almond meal or almond flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Sour cream
- Pure almond extract (optional: substitute vanilla if you prefer)
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Steps Overview:
- Preheat the oven and prepare a 9-inch springform pan by greasing and lining the bottom.
- Rinse and stem the cherries. Reserve about 15 cherries for the cake top.
- Pit and quarter the remaining cherries. Pat halved and quartered cherries dry on paper towels, cut side down, to absorb excess juice.
- Pit and halve the reserved 15 cherries and keep them separate from the quartered fruit.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt) and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined.
- Stir in sour cream and almond extract; the batter may look slightly curdled, which is normal.
- Slowly add the flour mixture on low speed and mix until just combined.
- Fold the quartered cherries into the batter.
- Spread the batter in the pan and arrange the halved cherries, cut side down, on top.
- Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tips:
- Pure almond extract complements the cherries and almond meal, but use it sparingly — a little goes a long way.
- Placing halved cherries on top helps distribute fruit throughout the cake and prevents too many pieces from sinking.
- If you don’t have a cherry pitter, split each cherry with a paring knife and remove the pit by hand.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this cherry and almond cake at room temperature with coffee or tea. Dust lightly with powdered sugar or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a more indulgent dessert.
Storage Instructions
Store the cake loosely covered at room temperature for 2–3 days. For longer keeping, refrigerate for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
How to Freeze Cherries
If you have surplus cherries, you can freeze them for later use. Rinse, dry, and remove stems. It’s helpful to pit them before freezing so they are ready for recipes. Arrange cherries on a baking tray and freeze until firm, then transfer to freezer-safe bags to prevent clumping.
Frozen cherries keep about 12 months and are great for smoothies, pies or fruit crisps.
Enjoy!
More Cakes Made with Fresh Fruit
- Plum Upside-Down Cake
- Peach Blueberry Cake
- Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
- Mini Apple Spice Bundt Cakes
Cherry Almond Cake
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole fresh stemmed sweet cherries (about 350 g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (130 g)
- 1/2 cup finely ground almonds or almond meal (55 g)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113 g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream (80 ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1–2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375ºF. Grease the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, line it with parchment and grease the sides and paper.
- Rinse cherries and set aside 15 for the top of the cake.
- Pit and quarter the remaining cherries. If you don’t have a pitter, cut around each cherry with a paring knife, split it and remove the pit.
- Pit and halve the 15 reserved cherries and keep them separate from the quartered cherries.
- Place halved and quartered cherries on separate paper towels, cut side down, to absorb extra juices.
- Whisk together flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In a mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium until pale and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined.
- Add sour cream and almond extract and mix; the batter may appear slightly curdled.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Fold the quartered cherries into the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and arrange the halved cherries, cut side down, on top.
- Bake about 25 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving.
Notes
- Pure almond extract adds a delicate nutty flavor; use sparingly.
- Adding halved cherries to the top helps keep fruit distributed evenly so pieces don’t sink.
- If you don’t have a pitter, halve each cherry and remove the pit by hand.
- For best texture and flavor, serve the cake at room temperature.