the softest cherry almond cake!

and more summer baking recipes - it's a cherry berry kind of summer

I know the idea of turning on one’s oven when it’s 90 degrees out isn’t super appealing; HOWEVER, I have a few recipes that take minimal effort/oven time for great reward. This fresh cherry almond cake is one of them!

A weeknight-friendly, single layer, soft cherry almond cake

I’ll be honest, I probably wouldn’t make this cherry cake if I didn’t have a cherry pitter. Hand-pitting 2 full cups of cherries is not my idea of a good time, plus your hands will look like you just left a crime scene. Trust me, the pitter is worth the $15 and it works for olives too - here’s my favorite one.

What I love about this recipe is its simplicity - it’s a soft vanilla butter cake, with a bit of almond extract and almond flour to offset the cherry flavor. We sprinkle sugar on top before baking for a lovely caramelized crunch, and you can dust with powdered sugar if you like for serving. No frosting needed!!

I like to use Rainier cherries but Bing would work too. I’m also happy to report that you CAN use frozen cherries, as long as you thaw and pat them dry first (too much moisture will cause the cake to be wet and gummy).

I made this cake for my mother in law’s birthday last weekend in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and we had a lovely time eating it after a full day of outdoor activities. It’s such a great summer cake - light, soft, and just sweet enough.

This cherry cake is part of my single layer cake series, an ongoing library of smaller cake recipes that totally deliver on texture and flavor, just in one layer 8 inch or 9 inch proportions.

Ingredients Needed

• 2 cups (10 oz; 285g) fresh sweet cherries (measure before pitting)

• 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup (48g) almond flour (note: if you don’t have almond flour, you can substitute 1/4 cup (31 grams) additional all-purpose flour in its place.)

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

• Zest of one lemon (approximately 1 tbsp)

• 2 large eggs (ideally at room temperature)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

• 1/2 cup (118 ml) milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy both work)

• 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted (for brushing on top)

• 1 Tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar (for sprinkling on top)

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More summer baking recipes

It’s unfair how much amazing fresh fruit there is in the summer. I can’t possibly get to all the summer recipes I want to make with it! Below are just a few favorites; most are low effort and easy to throw together, exactly what we want when the outdoors are beckoning.

• Cherry Cobbler

• Roasted Cherry Ice Cream

• Lemon Blueberry Muffins (made with Greek yogurt!)

• Stone Fruit Crisp (use any combination of peaches, cherries, plums, nectarines, etc you have on hand! berries too if you like - anything goes)

• Peach Cobbler (aka my forever favorite summer dessert)

• Blueberry Crisp (basically zero prep, throw the berries in and bake!!)

• Peach Raspberry Oatmeal Bars (omg these are so good, and so simple, similar to my strawberry crumble bars)

• Berry Buttermilk Cake (again, use any combo of berries you like)

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Reply below and let me know what you try, or other summer baking recipes you’d love to see on my blog! Your feedback means so much.

Happy summer and happy baking!!