Fresh sweet cherries and a buttery almond crumb topping make this Cherry Coffee Cake a delicious way to celebrate cherry season. It’s the kind of cake that’s just as welcome with your morning coffee as it is served for brunch or dessert.
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A Note From My Kitchen
We’re in the midst of cherry season, but it won’t be long before fresh sweet cherries are just a sweet summer memory. I’m doing a public service today by reminding you of this sad fact and encouraging you to get out there and get yourself some cherries while the getting is good.
I also highly recommend you bake this Cherry Coffee Cake!
This easy recipe is adapted from my tried-and-true Blueberry Crumb Cake, with a touch of almond extract added to the batter and sliced almonds in the buttery crumb topping. It’s a simple change that complements the sweet cherries perfectly.
A homemade Cherry Coffee Cake is right at home on a breakfast or brunch table, but I’m just as happy with a slice in the afternoon with a cup of coffee… or after dinner with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.
If you’re looking for another delicious way to make the most of cherry season, don’t miss my Fresh Cherry Cobbler.
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh sweet cherries: Use ripe, dark sweet cherries, like Bing, Chelan, or Skeena. Quartering the cherries helps distribute them evenly throughout the cake.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk creates a tender crumb and adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the cake and crumb topping.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and zest brighten the flavor of the cake and enhance the natural sweetness of the cherries. Fresh is definitely best for this recipe.
- Vanilla and almond extracts: Pure vanilla extract adds warmth while pure almond extract is a classic pairing with cherries, enhancing their fruity flavor without overpowering the cake. A little almond extract goes a long way, so be sure to measure it carefully.
- Crumb topping: Made with butter, both granulated and brown sugar, flour, and sliced almonds, the buttery crumb topping bakes up crisp and golden with just the right amount of crunch.
How to Make Cherry Coffee Cake
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and almond extract, beating until creamy.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter.
- Mix just until the flour and buttermilk are incorporated.
- Spread the thick batter evenly in a greased 9-inch springform pan (or any 9-inch round or square baking dish). Scatter the quartered cherries over the top.
- Gently swirl the cherries into the batter and prepare the crumb topping.
- Scatter the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and the crumb topping is lightly toasted.
Valerie’s Tips
- Fresh cherries are best. I don’t recommend substituting frozen cherries in this recipe. They release much more liquid as they thaw, which can affect the texture of the cake. If you’re looking for a recipe that uses frozen cherries, my Easy Cherry Crisp is a great option.
- Gently swirl in the cherries. Scatter the cherries over the batter and use a butter knife to gently swirl them in instead of stirring them with a spoon. This distributes the cherries evenly without overmixing the batter, and helps prevent their deep red juices from streaking and staining the batter.
- Work the crumb topping with your fingers. After stirring in the melted butter, rub the mixture lightly between your fingertips until it forms small clumps. Those buttery crumbles bake up crisp and golden.
- A springform pan makes serving easy. A 9-inch springform pan allows you to remove the sides and transfer the whole cake to a serving platter, making a nice presentation for brunch or entertaining. A standard 9-inch round or square baking dish works well too.
- Tent with foil if needed. If the crumb topping is browning too quickly before the center is fully baked, loosely cover the cake with foil for the remaining bake time.
Storage Tips
Room Temperature: Store the cooled coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving or warm individual slices in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
Freezer: Wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, or place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
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Cherry Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1 heaping teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 12 ounces dark sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted, and quartered
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan or a 9-inch round or square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar for two or three minutes. Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat another minute or two, or until well combined. Add the flour, a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk, beating just until each addition is incorporated. The batter will be thick.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. Scatter the cherries over the top, then use a butter knife to gently swirl them into the batter.
- For the crumb topping, toss together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, almonds, and salt until well combined. Add the melted butter and stir again. When it is well mixed, work the mixture between your fingers until it begins to hold together. Crumble it up and sprinkle it over the top of cake.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the center appears to be set and the crumb topping is golden brown. If the topping begins to brown too much, loosely cover the cake with a sheet of foil for the remaining bake time.
- Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes. If using a springform pan, release and remove the sides before transferring the cake to a serving platter. If baked in a standard baking dish, slice and serve directly from the pan..
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
This post was originally published on August 4, 2016. The recipe has been retested, and the post has been updated with new text and images.
Someone brought this in to our local Food pantry for staff to try…the local store had given cases of cherries for distribution (everyone got 1-2 bags of them). The staff member tried your recipe and we all loved it! I plan to try it soon!
Happy to hear you all loved it. Thanks, Donna! 🙂
Hi, I have a small household and probably cannot finish this in 1 go. Does this cake freeze well?