Cherry Cheery Cake Recipes

CHEERY CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and side of 8- or 9-inch round cake pan with shortening; lightly flour.
• In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Add shortening, milk and cherry juice. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg whites. Beat 2 minutes. Fold in cherries; pour into pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Spread with frosting. Decorate with candies.

OLD-FASHIONED CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Begin by preparing the cherries. If they're dripping in syrup, pat them dry with kitchen paper, then slice each one into four. For the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until light, pale and fluffy. Now gradually beat in the whisked eggs a little at a time. Then sift the flour and baking powder together, and carefully fold this into the creamed mixture using a metal spoon. Toss two thirds of the cherries together with the ground almonds and carefully fold these into the cake, adding one or two drops of almond extract and the milk. Now spoon the cake mix into the prepared tin, level off the top with the back of a spoon, then sprinkle over the remaining third of the cherries and poke them just under the surface with a teaspoon. Bake the cake near the centre of the oven for 50 minutes, then cover with foil and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes, or until the centre is springy to touch. Cool the cake in the tin for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight tin.

FRESH CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a deep 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
• Place 1 cup sugar and butter in a separate bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in milk and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix until batter is well blended and thick, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spread batter in the prepared baking dish; arrange cherries on top. Drizzle cherry juice over the cherries. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup sugar over the surface.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with olive oil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and baking powder until evenly distributed and no lumps remain. To a separate large bowl, add the 1/2 cup oil, eggs, milk, almond extract and salt and whisk until smooth, at least 30 seconds. Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the last streak of flour disappears.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and tap gently against the counter to pop excess air bubbles. Bake until a skewer or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.
• Microwave the cherry preserves in a small bowl in 30-second intervals or in a small saucepan over medium heat until looser and slightly liquidy. Spread the preserves evenly over the cooled cake.
• Make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder and salt and pour over the hot water. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, whisk until smooth. Add the heavy cream and continue whisking until billowy soft peaks form. When you turn the whisk upside-down, a peak of cream should flop over slightly like a Santa hat. Spread the frosting over the cake and, if using, garnish with the cherries. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.