Cherry Cream Cheese Layer Cake

            For those of you who want to ignore this recipe because cherries are not a fruit you like, please hold tight! You do not have to love cherries to really like this recipe. This is a super moist layer cake, filled with cherry pieces and topped with cream cheese frosting. It also comes out to be a gorgeous color!

            This cake is the perfect dessert for any type of celebration, even for no reason at all. Growing up, we always got to pick out what type of cake we wanted for our birthdays.

My siblings would go crazy and pick out some elaborate cakes, while I would be perfectly happy with a simple cherry chip cake. Even back then I was not a fan of cherries, but I loved cherry cake.

            It has been almost twenty years since I had a good cherry chip cake, by the time I finished this recipe, I was right back to being 12 years old. It came out as close to perfect as I could get it.

Frequently Asked Questions:

            Can I leave the buttermilk out?

You could substitute the buttermilk for a heavy cream, but I would not leave it out without replacing it. This is an important part of making a super moist cake.

            Can I just buy a store bought dry cake mix?

You definitely can do that. I prefer to make them homemade because they just simply taste better.

            Can I buy premade frosting?

Again, you definitely could. I prefer the taste of homemade food much better. Something about being made with love, makes it so much more special.

What do you need to make Cherry Cream cheese Layer Cake:

Cake:

            ½ cup butter, unsalted and at room temperature

            1 jar maraschino cherries, drained, but save the juice

            1 ½ cups sugar

            4 egg whites

            ¼ tsp almond extract

            1 tsp vanilla extract

            2 tsp baking powder

            ½ tsp baking soda

             1 ⅓ cup buttermilk

             2 tbsp cherry juice

Frosting:

            ½ cup butter, softened

            8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool

            1 to 2 tbsp cherry juice

            1 tsp vanilla extract

            ½ tsp almond extract

            4 cups powdered sugar

How to make Cherry Cream cheese Layer Cake:

FIRST STEP:

Preheat the oven to 350*, grease and flour two round 8 inch cake pans

Drain the cherries, saving the juice to use in the cake and the frosting

SECOND STEP:

Finely chop the maraschino cherries and set to the side

Beat the butter and sugar until is is creamy, add the egg whites one at a time, mixing after each

a)

b)

THIRD STEP:

Add in the vanilla extract and the almond extract and mix well

In a separate bowl add in the flour, salt, soda and baking powder

FOURTH STEP:

In another bowl mix the buttermilk with the cherry juice

Add the flour mix to the butter in three intervals, alternating with the buttermilk mixture

Mix after each addition and scraping the bowl routinely

FIFTH STEP:

Stir in the chopped cherries

Divide the batter between two pans, evenly

SIXTH STEP:

Bake until  a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes

Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool

SEVENTH STEP:

For the Frosting: Place the butter and the cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy

a)

b)

Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth, then add in vanilla and almond extracts, with the cherry juice and mix very well to combine

EIGHTH STEP:

Use ½ cup of frosting on the top of the first layer, place the second layer on top and repeat with the frosting on the top layer.

a)

b)

Then frost the sides of the cake

Enjoy!

YUM!

More cakes You Might Like:

Orange Dreamsicle No Bake Cheesecake   

Think back to when you were younger and that ice cream truck came singing down your street. What is the first thing you thought of, and be honest?! Creamsicles correct? I thought so!

Italian Lemon Drop Cake with Lemon Buttercream

This cake can only be described as refreshing, bright and zesty. It is one of those recipes that you will continue coming back to time after time.

Pecan Upside Down Cake

Now I do not want to scare you, however, we are going to make this cake all by hand. We will use a box mix for this recipe. Trust me, it is not a difficult recipe and you will be thrilled once you are done.

Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting

Be honest, who does not enjoy a slice of a carrot cake roll? It is the same as making a carrot cake, but the Carrot cake Roll looks so much nicer to serve when you have guests over.

Almond Raspberry Cake with White Chocolate

This cake makes for one delightful dessert. Almonds and raspberries if you have never tasted them together, is a taste you will never forget. This cake is so moist, so flavorful and then topped with a white buttercream frosting.

Peach Cobbler Pound Cake

A pound cake that will top all other cakes you have ever tasted! This pound cake is loaded with chunks of fresh peaches. The cake is super moist and soft.