Cherry Almond Cake

Brimming with cherries and the rich aroma of almonds, my cherry almond cake is a favorite dessert to bake up when a moist, delicious, homemade bundt cake sounds enticing. Prepared with rich sour cream in the batter, plus lots of sour cherries and almond extract, this elegant-yet-simple cherry almond cake recipe tastes like something out of an upscale bakery, drizzled with a rich sour cream icing!

A delightfully aromatic cake for all seasons

There's nothing quite like the chilliness of the colder months that entices me to get into my kitchen and bake up something cozy to indulge in.

A rich, moist, homemade cake to slice into and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon is definitely a lovely treat, and one that my hubby and I love to enjoy once in a while, especially on a weekend.

Preparing a cake made from scratch (and then eating it, of course!) is one of my most beloved leisurely activities, and this cherry almond cake is one of our all-time favorites.

Buttery, aromatic, and brimming with sour cherries and a generous kiss of almond extract for sweet aroma, this cherry almond cake is a bundt-style cake that truly hits all the right notes when a homemade dessert made with love and care is what beckons.

Drizzled with a thick, creamy sour cream icing, this cherry almond cake is perfect for all seasons, and makes for a simple-yet-elegant offering that tastes just like it came from a fancy bake shop!

My recipe for cherry almond cake

The beauty of this cake recipe is that it comes together relatively quickly and easily. And because it's a bundt cake, topped with a pourable icing, there's no need to create layers and to perfectly frost it!

The batter for this wonderfully aromatic cherry almond cake is prepared with a combination of cake flour and almond flour, which makes the crumb very tender and very light. It just melts away on the tongue!

To create the richness, I add a good amount of sour cream and several eggs, which add moisture and tenderness as well.

A star ingredient in this cake recipe is the cherries, of course. I use good quality, canned sour cherries packed in water. They add a touch of sweet-tartness, and even add a bit more moisture to the batter.

Pure almond extract offers that rich, warm, sweet note of cherry-almond flavor that is so delicious in this cake, and helps to highlight the butter and sour cream.

Finished with a simple, thick and rich sour cream drizzle (perhaps even a sprinkle of sugar pearls for decorative effect!), this cherry almond cake is a delight in every bite!

Here's a sneak peek at my cherry almond cake recipe:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I whisk together my dry ingredients, and set those aside.
2. Next, to the bowl of my stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, I cream together my butter and sugar.
3. I then add in the eggs to the mix, followed by the vanilla and almond extracts, plus the sour cream, and continue to mix to incorporate it all.
4. Next, I slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, folding in cherries to combine.
5. I spoon the batter into a prepared bundt cake pan, and bake for roughly 55 minutes, or until baked through.
6. While the cake cools, I prep my sour cream icing to have ready.
7. Once the cherry almond cake has cooled, I drizzle the top with the sour cream icing, decorate with sugar pearls, if desired, and allow that to set before slicing and enjoying.

Recipe

Cherry Almond Cake

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This moist cherry almond cake is brimming with sour cherries and the sweet, aromatic flavor of almond, drizzled with rich sour cream icing!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 12

Nutrition info: 500 calories (per serving)

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Cherry Almond Cake Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
• ¼ cup almond flour (or almond meal)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs, room temp
• 2 ½ teaspoons pure almond extract
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 (15 ounce) can sour cherries packed in water, drained, blotted dry and coarsely chopped

Sour Cream Icing Ingredients:

• 4 ½ tablespoons sour cream
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• Small, white sugar pearls, optional decorative touch

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping your cake ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°, and thoroughly spritz a bundt cake pan (10 inch) with cooking spray.
3. In a medium-size bowl, combine the cake flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk these dry ingredients together to blend them well. Set aside for a moment.
4. Then, into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and the sugar, and mix them together on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until very light and fluffy. Next, add the eggs in one at a time, and continue to mix until those are incorporated.
5. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts, followed by the sour cream, turning the mixer off to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary.
6. Once those are incorporated, reduce the mixer speed to low, and begin adding the dry ingredients a little at a time just until all are added and well incorporated, taking care not to over-mix the batter.
7. Then, turn the mixer off and gently fold the sour cherries into the batter with a spatula until combined.
8. Spoon the cake batter into the bundt pan as evenly as possible, and then tap the pan to set the batter and smooth the batter with the spatula to make it more even. Place the cherry almond cake into the oven and bake the cake for about 50-60 minutes (mine took 55 minutes), or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow the cake to cool slightly and turn it out onto a wire rack or plate to completely cool.
10. While the cake cools, gather and prep all of your sour cream icing ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized.
11. To prepare the sour cream icing, add the sour cream into a bowl and whisk gently to loosen. Begin adding in the powdered sugar in ¼ cup increments, whisking the sugar into the sour cream very well in between each addition of powdered sugar.
12. Once the icing is well blended (it will be quite thick), cover with plastic wrap and set aside until ready to glaze the cake, or if making ahead, keep in the fridge.
13. Slowly pour or drizzle the sour cream icing over the cherry almond cake, and decorate with the white sugar pearls, if desired.
14. Allow the icing to set, then slice and enjoy.

Tips & Tidbits for my cherry almond cake recipe:

• Canned sour cherries: For a balance of sweet and tart, I like to use good quality sour cherries packed in water in this cake. I drain them very well, and gently pat the cherries with a paper towel to get rid of excess moisture. I then coarsely chop the cherries just a tiny bit, so they're easier to fold into the batter.
• Combo of cake flour and almond flour for tender crumb: The cake flour helps a cake to have a light and very tender crumb that almost melts away on the palate. Almond flour is just very finely ground almonds, which actually provide no added gluten. It simply adds a touch of lightness and fat, providing more tenderness.
• Substituting all-purpose flour to make your own cake flour: If you don't have cake flour available, simply substitute 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour plus ¼ cup of cornstarch, and sift well to combine.
• Prepare this cherry almond cake ahead: If desired, you can prep this sweet cake a day ahead of when you'd like to serve it. Simply prepare and bake, allow it to completely cool, then place on a cake plate with a dome cover (or use a large platter and plastic wrap) to keep moist. When ready to serve, prepare the sour cream icing and drizzle over the cake, allow it to set, then slice and enjoy!

Craving more cozy cake recipes? Check out my recipe for Plum Cake, Lemon Ricotta Cake with Raspberries, Lemon Blueberry Cake, Olive Oil Cake, Lemon Bundt Cake, or even my recipe for Peaches and Cream Coffee Cake!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2012, and has been updated with even more love!