Fresh cherry cake is a delightful dessert that takes advantage of ripe, juicy cherries when they are in season. Here’s a basic recipe for a fresh cherry cake:
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
- 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
For the Streusel Topping (optional):
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or a similar-sized baking dish.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
- In a separate large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, which should take about 2 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Add the eggs to the butter-sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the pitted and halved fresh cherries.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly.
- If you’re adding a streusel topping, combine the flour and sugar in a small bowl, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle this streusel over the cake batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, and the top is golden brown.
- Allow the fresh cherry cake to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once the cake has cooled, you can dust it with powdered sugar, add a dollop of whipped cream, or enjoy it as-is.
Fresh cherry cake is perfect for showcasing the natural sweetness and flavor of ripe cherries, and it’s a wonderful dessert to enjoy during cherry season.
