Name: Cherry Almond Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 cups whole fresh stemmed sweet cherries (350 grams); 1 cup all-purpose flour (130 grams); 1/2 cup finely ground almonds (or almond meal) (55 grams); 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113 grams); 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams); 2 large eggs; 1/3 cup sour cream (I used full-fat) (80 ml); 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract; 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)

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This easy recipe for a tender and moist Cherry Almond Cake has a delicate almond flavour and is studded with delicious fresh sweet cherries.

Colander full of freshly washed cherries.

Homemade desserts are the best and this Cherry Almond Cake will not disappoint! Made with fresh cherries this cake is really delicious when cherries are in season and at their peak.

Homemade desserts are the best and this Cherry Almond Cake will not disappoint! Made with fresh cherries this light cake is really delicious when cherries are in season and at their peak.

This cherry and almond coffee cake makes an excellent casual dessert but is also light enough to be enjoyed as a snack. If you love cakes made with fresh fruit be sure to try this Fresh Peach and Blueberry Cake and this Plum Upside-Down Cake, they are reader favorites!

Slice of Cherry Almond Cake on white plate.

How to Make it

This simple recipe for a one-layer cake is baked in a springform pan for easy removal. Since it's made with fresh cherries there's a little bit of work involved in pitting the cherries, but this task is made much easier and quicker by using a cherry pitter.

This is an easy cake to make and once the cherries are pitted and sliced it comes together pretty quickly.

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this tender and moist cake and how to make it. Exact amounts are listed in the recipe card at the end of this post.

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 - Since almonds and cherries complement each other so well, I opted for almond extract instead of vanilla. But you can use vanilla if you don't have any almond extract.
Powdered sugar - For dusting the cake before serving. This ingredient is optional.

Steps Overview:

Preheat the oven. Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
Rinse and remove stems from the cherries. Set aside 15 cherries for the top of the cake.
Pit and quarter the rest of the cherries. Using a cherry pitter will make this a much easier and quicker task. Place the halved and quartered cherries on separate sheets of paper towel, cut side down.
Take the remaining 15 cherries and pit and halve them. Set them apart from the quartered cherries.
In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients and set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time beating just until combined.
Add the sour cream and almond extract and beat until mixed.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the flour mixture and beat just until the flour is mixed in.
Fold the quartered cherries into the batter.
Spread the batter into the pan and then arrange the halved cherries, cut side down, on top of the cake.
Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Tips:

The cake has a delicate almond flavour coming from the ground almonds as well as from the pure almond extract. Adding pure almond extract to the batter adds a delightful nutty flavour to your baked goods. But a little goes a long way, so be sure to measure carefully.
This cake has cherries mixed in the batter but is also studded with additional halved cherries. Adding some halved cherries to the top of the cake ensures there are cherries throughout the cake and that they don't all sink to the bottom.
If you don't have a cherry pitter, you can use a small paring knife to cut around the cherry. Simply split the cherry in half and remove the pit with your fingers.

Slice of Cherry Almond Cake with a dusting of powdered sugar on white dish.

Serving Suggestions

This fresh cherry and almond cake is perfect served at room temperature with a hot cup of coffee or tea. It can be served with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Storage Instructions

This cake can be stored loosely covered at room temperature for two to three days. For longer storage, cover the cake and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To freeze the cake, wrap it well with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cherry and almond cake overnight in the refrigerator. Since it's best served at room temperature, remove the cake from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

How to Freeze Cherries

Did you know that you could freeze fresh cherries? If you have too many cherries and don't want them to go to waste, you can easily freeze them to use later.

To prepare cherries for freezing, start by rinsing them, pat them dry and remove the stems.

You can freeze them whole but since you'll have to pit them before using in a recipe it's better to pit the cherries before freezing them. If you have a pitter use it, if not cut them in half (like you would cut a peach or nectarine) and remove the pit with your fingers.

To avoid having the cherries clump together in the bag, freeze them on a baking tray first and then put the frozen cherries in a freezer safe bag.

Frozen cherries will last for about 12 months in a freezer. You can use frozen cherries to make a Cherry Smoothie, cherry pie or fruit crumbles.

Enjoy!

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