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This cherry fritter cake is packed full of summer flavor. Its fresh cherry filling is sandwiched between a moist cake and topped with a vanilla bean glaze.
When I was a foolish child, I hated cherries—all things cherries—fresh, canned, in a pie, on a cheesecake, etc. You name it. I didn’t like it.
Then, I grew up and realized I was so wrong. Fresh summer cherries are the ultimate summer snack. I will eat my weight in cherries when they are fresh and in season.
This sweet cherry fritter cake takes Bing cherries and turns them into a jammy filling sandwiched between the tender almond-scented cake. It’s also topped with nutty almonds and a vanilla glaze.
I should have titled this cake “THE ULTIMATE MOST WONDERFUL TASTING CAKE IN ALL THE LAND,” but it’s a bit lengthy. On the nose, but lengthy.
Read below for tips on making the cake, FAQs, and to view the full recipe.
Ingredients needed
- Thawed frozen Bing cherries
- Brown sugar
- Water
- Cornstarch
- Unsalted butter
- Applesauce
- Egg
- Almond extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda and powder
- Kosher salt
- Greek yogurt
- Sliced almonds
- Powdered sugar
- Whole milk
- Vanilla bean paste
How to make cherry fritter cake
This cake takes a few steps but is well worth the work! If you like cherries, don’t sleep on this fritter cake.
- First, make the cherry filling mixture on the stovetop and let it cool while you prepare the cake batter. The cooked fruit mixture should resemble canned pie filling.
- Cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
- Add in your egg, applesauce, and almond extract. Mix to combine.
- Whisk together dry ingredients.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating between the dry ingredients and the Greek yogurt.
- Add half the batter to a 9×9 dish, top with cherry filling and the remaining batter, and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Bake until golden brown and delicious.
- Pour vanilla glaze over warm cake and let cool before slicing.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Switch up the flavor of this cake by using vanilla extract instead of almond extract.
- Use fresh cherries in place of frozen cherries. You will need to pit fresh cherries.
- Let the cake fully cool before cutting a slice because it will hold up better to slicing.
- Pour the glaze on while the cake is still warm so the cake can cool and the glaze can set up simultaneously.
Substitutions and Adaptations
As written, this cake is great, but here are a few ideas to help you switch things up.
- You can use canned cherry pie filling instead of making the filling. The cherry flavor will be slightly different, but it will still be delicious.
- Use vanilla extract in place of vanilla bean paste in the glaze.
- Leave the nuts off the cake to make this a nut-free recipe.
- Use chopped pecans in place of sliced almonds.
- Make a blueberry fritter cake if you’re not in the mood for a cherry fritter cake!
FAQ’s
More cherry recipes
Cherry Fritter Cake
Ingredients
For filling:
- 16 ounces frozen pitted Bing cherries, thawed
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For cake:
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons applesauce
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
For glaze:
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
For filling:
- In a 12-inch skillet set over medium heat, add thawed cherries, water, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Gently mix together.
- Simmer gently over medium heat, breaking some of the cherries up while they simmer to create a jam-like consistency. The mixture should look thick and bubbly.
- Remove from the heat and set aside. Note: the cherry mixture should look like pie filling.
For cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×9 dish with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
- Add brown sugar and butter to the bowl of your electric mixer. Mix until creamed, about 3 minutes.
- Add in egg, applesauce, and almond extract. Mix until combined.
- In a medium sized bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the mixer alternating with the yogurt until fully combined.
- Spread half the dough in the bottom of your prepared baking dish, top with cherry mixture and then top with remaining batter. You will have to carefully spread the batter over the top. It’s ok if it doesn’t cover it 100% but try to cover the best you can.
- Sprinkle the top with almonds.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is fully cooked and lightly browned on the top.
- Remove from the oven, add to a cooling rack and pour glaze over the top. Let cool so the glaze hardens and the fruit is set.
For glaze:
- Right before the cake is about to come out of the oven in a small bowl whisk together all ingredients until smooth. If the mixture is too thick add a little milk to thin it out. If it’s too thin add more powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Mmmm this looks so delicious!
That is one tasty looking cake!
This sounds tasty! I want a big slice of it right now!
What a tasty looking cake! Love cherries and the idea of the filling for this! Yum!
You combined two of my favorites – a fritter and a cake! And the cherry in it? YUM! I cannot wait to make this!
This looks amazing! And I mean…come on: it doesn’t get better than cherries & almonds!
That sounds wonderful, cherries and almonds are always a winning combo!
My hubby is obsessed with cherries! Making this for him!
This looks and sounds SO GOOD!! I am definitely going to try it!!
I freaking love this cake. Cherry is always my favourite flavour.
My gramma used to say frittering a lot. It meant we were being lazy. I like your meaning WAY better. Ha!