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Cherry Chip Cake from Scratch

This made from scratch Cherry Chip Cake Recipe with the perfect Pink Cherry Buttercream is as delicious at it is beautiful! It's bursting with sweet cherry flavor thanks to Paradise Candied Cherries and has a lovely, delicate pink coloring from maraschino cherry juice. Makes four 6" round layers, three 8", or two 9".

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cake Recipe, cherry dessert
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Decorating 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 12
Author Mikel Ibarra

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • ¾ cup salted butter, softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 4 egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ cup whole milk, room temperature
  • ½ cup Maraschino cherry juice, room temperature
  • ¾ cup candied cherries, finely chopped save 10- 12 whole for decorating

Cherry Buttercream

  • 1 ½ cup unsalted butter 3 sticks
  • ½ cup salted butter 1 stick
  • 7 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 to 6 Tablespoons Maraschino cherry juice start with 4 add more as needed for color and consistency.
  • 10 to 12 whole candied cherries for top of cake

Instructions

Make Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F convect oven)

  2. Grease pans and line bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking

  3. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium high until light in color and fluffy. At least 5 minutes. While this is mixing, prepare other ingredients.

  4. In a small bowl, blend egg whites and whole egg with a fork, set aside

  5. Turn mixer to low speed, add vanilla and sour cream. Continue mixing until combined. Scrape bowl as needed.

  6. Add half of egg mixture, mixing on medium until well combined, add other half of egg mixture and mix on medium 30 seconds or until combined. Scrape Bowl.

  7. In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour and baking powder. Add half of the flour mixture to the cake batter and mix on low until just combined.

  8. Add Maraschino cherry juice and milk to the batter, mix on low until just combined. Turn off the mixer and give the bowl a good scrape, be sure to get the bottom .

  9. Add the other half of the flour mixture and mix on medium speed until just combined.

  10. Remove bowl from stand mixer, fold in chopped candied cherries until they are evenly dispersed.

  11. Divide batter evenly into the prepared cake pans, bake for 25 minutes, or until the top bounces back with when you gently press the top with your finger.

  12. Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pans and cooling completely before decorating.

Make Frosting

  1. In bowl of stand mixer, or in large bowl, mix butter with paddle beater on high for 5-8 minutes until light and fluffy

  2. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated, 20-30 seconds.

  3. Add 1/2 of the sifted powdered sugar, mix on low, gradually raising to high until incorporated, 30 seconds.

  4. Add 4 tablespoons of cherry juice, mix on low until incorporated, 20-30 seconds.

  5. Add the rest of the powdered sugar, mix on low, gradually turn it up to high and beat for 30 -45 seconds. Add more cherry juice one tablespoon at a time until the frosting in spreadable consistency. It should stand up on the beater with only a gentle bend in the peak.

  6. Keep icing covered, store at room temperature in an airtight container until ready to decorate the cake. This is a crusting buttercream.

Recipe Notes

This cake is best on day 2! The candied cherries help keep the cake moist and the cherry flavor really develops over night. After frosting the cake, you can leave it covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Cut into slices, wrap and freeze the leftovers for cake craving emergencies. Adapted from Life, Love, and Sugar Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake