This succulent fresh cherry cake is incredibly delicious! The cherry filling only takes 5 ingredients, and the moist vanilla cake is topped with a sweetened buttercream frosting that is so creamy and irresistible. That you can replicate this recipe with success, I share a detailed step-by-step photo guide and a video in this post.
Not in the mood for cherry cake? That's okay; my lemon blueberry cake is out of this world good!
Why This Recipe Works:
- It's bursting with incredible sweet cherries in every bite.
- Pleases a crowd with its stunning appearance and delicious flavors.
- The vanilla buttercream frosting is so good you can eat it with a spoon.
- It has homemade cherry pie filling.
- This white layer cake with cherry filling is perfect for every occasion and event.
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Step-by-step photo instructions
Preheat the oven and prepare the baking pans. Then, in a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt to combine and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, oil, and sugar until creamy.
Then add one egg at a time and mix until well combined. Mix in the vanilla as well.
Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. Divide batter into the two prepared baking pans equally. Then bake and let cool.
Place the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and water in a large saucepan and cook until the cherries get soft. Stir constantly.
Blend the cooking cherries with an immersion blender and cook until the filling has thickened and reduced by about ⅓. Stir constantly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. It will thicken as it cools.
Let's go on with the buttercream. In a large mixing bowl beat butter until super creamy.
Add 1 cup powdered sugar at a time and beat on low speed until combined. When all the sugar is in, beat on medium speed until the sugar is dissolved. Then stir in the vanilla.
Mix in 1 tbsp heavy cream at a time until you reach the desired consistency. The buttercream should be creamy and fluffy but firm enough to spread. I added 3 tbsp. Add a pinch of salt to your taste and stir to combine.
I recorded a video to show you how I assemble the cake. Please find it at the end of this post.
Expert tips
- Don't overmix the cake batter or the cake will be dry and dense.
- Although frozen cherries work fine, I recommend using fresh cherries that are in season to get the best flavor and texture.
Alternatives
You could try this recipe with the following fruits. Replace 1:1.
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
Frequently Asked Questions And Answers
Why Do You Alternate Wet And Dry Ingredients When Making This Cake?
If you add all of the wet ingredients directly to the dry ingredients at once, it can cause the batter to separate. If that happens, then the texture could be off and not taste as good. Alternately, if you add all the dry ingredients at once to the wet, then you will cause the batter to be extra thick. Then you end up with a tough cake that isn't nearly as appealing.
Why Do My Cakes Get Hard After Baking?
You could end up with a hard cake if you overmix the batter because when you stir it, air bubbles form. When they get hot, they pop which can lead to a dense or hard cake. Another possible reason is that your oven heats higher than what temperature you set it at. Test it with a thermometer and make adjustments to get it to the proper temperature.
What Happens If My Cake Is Undercooked In The Middle?
If you experience the outer edges of the cake are done, but the center is still undercooked you can cover it with aluminum foil. Cover the top of the cake reasonably tightly. This will keep the heat in there better. Bake for 5-8 minutes, check and if it's still not done cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Storage
It should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. On average, this cherry cake will last around 2 days. Don't set it out longer than 2 hours, or it will go bad quicker.
Freezing
Either wrap the entire cake up with plastic wrap or tin foil or wrap individual slices. Then place it in a freezer bag or airtight storage container. It will last 3 months in the freezer. To serve, place it in the fridge overnight and it will be ready the next day.
Searching for more fruit filled recipes?
Recipe and Video
Fresh Cherry Cake Recipe From Scratch
Ingredients
cake
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup canola oil or mild vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 vanilla beans* (or 3tsp vanilla extract)
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
filling
- 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted (when frozen thaw first)
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
frosting
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups unpacked powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 vanilla beans* (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 2-4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line the bottom and the sides of two 8" (20cm) baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt and stir to combine. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with a stand or handheld mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat butter, oil, and sugar until creamy for about 2-3 minutes. Add one egg at a time and mix until fully incorporated. Add vanilla* and stir to combine. Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. Divide batter into the two prepared baking pans equally. Bake for 30-33 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake or the cake will be dry. Let cool to room temperature.
- Place the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and water in a large saucepan and bring over medium heat to a boil. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the cherries get soft. Stir constantly. Blend the cooking cherries with an immersion blender and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until the filling has thickened and reduced by about ⅓. Stir constantly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. It will thicken as it cools.
- In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium speed until super creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup powdered sugar at the time and beat on low speed until combined. When all the sugar is in, beat on medium speed until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla*. Mix in 1 tbsp heavy cream at the time until you reach your desired consistency. The buttercream should be creamy and fluffy but firm enough to spread. I added exactly 3 tbsp. Add a pinch of salt and stir to combine.
- Cut a thin layer off the tops of your cakes to create a flat surface. Then cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread ¼ of the buttercream over the cake. The buttercream should be higher around the edges that it holds the cherry filling inside the cake. Layer with ⅓ of the cherry filling (where the buttercream is lower). Repeat two more times. Place the last cake layer on top and lightly frost the outside and the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Chill 4 hours in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Video
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Caitlyn
Can I bake this in 1 12 inch round instead of 2 8 inch pans?
Thanks!
Sabine
Yes, but the cooking time will be different. Check with a toothpick to be sure that it is baked properly. Be aware that with such a huge pan you won't have that many layers and the edges could dry out a little during baking. Hope that helps.
Pamela
Hi Can I use canned cherry pie filling and if so would I cook as follows with cornstarch lemon and water? Thank you very much.
Sabine
The filling is actually a homemade cherry pie filling, so that means you can replace it with a canned one 1:1. The syrup should be of the same thickness. Hope that helps!
Sarah
Hi! Am I able to use frozen cherries?
Sabine
Yes, absolutely. Just thaw them before you use them.
Shelley Schlueter
I made this for my daughter's birthday as it's exactly what she requested. It's only the second cake I've ever baked, and she loved it so much she asked for seconds! Coming from my picky eater, that was a huge win. Thanks so much for sharing this lovely recipe.