Moist Cherry Almond Cake Delight with Toasted Crunch
A moist and flavorful cherry almond cake featuring toasted almonds for a delightful crunch. Perfect for any occasion, this easy homemade cake combines fresh cherries with almond meal for a tender crumb and nutty aroma.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
- 1 cup (100g) almond meal
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp pure almond extract
- ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk or plain yogurt
- 1 ½ cups (225g) fresh or frozen pitted cherries
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup (90g) sliced almonds, toasted
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, toss cherries with sugar and cornstarch until evenly coated. Set aside to macerate.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Using a mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in almond extract.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined.
- Gently fold the cherry mixture into the batter with a rubber spatula, keeping cherries whole and evenly distributed.
- Grease the cake pan and pour in the batter, smoothing the top.
- Mix toasted almonds with brown sugar and melted butter, then sprinkle evenly over the cake batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden with a slight spring.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs and butter for better blending. Fold cherries gently to keep them whole and avoid excess juice. Toast almonds carefully to avoid burning. If almond topping browns too fast, cover loosely with foil. For gluten-free, use almond flour and gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, substitute butter and buttermilk with dairy-free alternatives.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 6
Keywords: cherry almond cake, moist cherry cake, toasted almond cake, easy cherry dessert, homemade cake, almond crunch, gluten-free option, dairy-free option