This is one of my favorite cake recipes for Spring. It's perfect for Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, and all kinds of showers.
Table of Contents
❤️ Why you'll love it
Dana says, "Just wanted to thank you for sharing the recipe for the cake and icing it was unbelievably GOOD and now GONE…"
- Delicious light cake
- The end result is gorgeous
- One of those cake recipes you'll make again and again
This tall cherry almond cake is easier than it looks.
It's pretty enough for special occasions but easy enough for anytime!
It's made of two layers of almond cake with a layer of Maraschino cherry cake in the middle.
The whipped white chocolate buttercream is light and airy -- the perfect finish for this elegant layer cake.
You can actually see vanilla bean in the almond layers and Maraschino cherry bits in the pink layer.
It's just pretty.
Oh my gosh, you better plan on extra frosting because it's going to be very hard not to lick your fingers until the white chocolate buttercream is all gone.
🥫 Storage
Cover cake with plastic wrap or put in a cake storage container and store at room temperature for a day or two.
Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
📖 Variations
- You may prefer this whipped cream cheese frosting.
- Instead of making different colored layers you could swirl the cake batters together to make a pink and white marble cake.
- Make cupcakes with this. Just bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: Creaming the butter and sugar is very important.It can take up to 5 minutes to get that light and fluffy texture you're looking for. This is what will help your cake be airy and tender.
- This cherry almond cake recipe has a delicate almond flavor. If you'd like a more intense flavor add an extra ¼ to ½ teaspoon of almond extract.
- It is important that you use cake flour in this recipe. It keeps it light and fluffy. Read more about flour here.
- Be sure to let the layers cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- The white chocolate is very finicky. Be sure to stir it every free seconds while melting. If it gets even a drop of water in it it will set up and you'll have to start over.
- Make sure all ingredients are room temperature unless otherwise instructed.
👩🍳 FAQs
You can use 3 whole eggs instead of 6 egg whites but the color will not be as pretty.
You can use all purpose flour and replace 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for every cup. Don't use self-rising flour in this recipe.
📚 Related recipes
Here are more easy recipes for old fashioned layer cakes.
🍽️ Serve with...
This is the perfect cake for a romantic dinner. Try -
- Oven Roasted Quail
- Asparagus Casserole
- Cloverleaf Rolls
- Irish Temper, a Bailey's Irish coffee that's perfect with this cake!
📞 The last word
What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Cherry Almond Cake
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 4 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 inch vanilla bean, seeds scraped into the batter pod set aside (add the pod to the sugar bowl for vanilla sugar)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 6 egg whites, unbeaten
- ¼ cup Maraschino cherries, finely chopped
Buttercream
- 18 ounces white chocolate chips
- 3 cups unsalted butter, cut in cubes, room temperature
- 9 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
- ¾ cup heavy cream, very cold
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease 3 8-inch round cake pans. Cover bottoms with waxed paper and dust with flour.
- Mix flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes
- Beat in vanilla, almond extract, and vanilla bean scrapings.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
- Add egg whites and beat at medium speed for two minutes.
- Add chopped Maraschino cherries to ⅓ of the batter.
- Divide the almond cake batter equally between 2 greased and wax paper lined 9-inch round pans.
- Add the Maraschino cherry batter to the third pan.
- Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 325 and bake for 25 minutes more, or until the cake tests done.
- Cool cake layers in pans 10 minutes, then turn out and finish cooling on racks.
Buttercream
- Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 10 to 15 seconds.
- Let cool to room temperature.
- Beat the butter until fluffy.
- Add the confectioner's sugar.
- Beat on high until well mixed.
- Add the almond extract and heavy cream
- With mixer on high spoon the melted white chocolate into the buttercream, beating until it is light and airy.
- Use to fill and frost the cherry almond cake.
Notes
- This has a delicate almond flavor. If you'd like a more intense flavor add an extra ¼ to ½ teaspoon of almond extract.
- It is important that you use cake flour in this recipe. It keeps it light and fluffy. Read more about flour here.
- The white chocolate is very finicky. Be sure to stir it every free seconds while melting. If it gets even a drop of water in it it will set up and you'll have to start over.
- Make sure all ingredients are room temperature unless otherwise instructed.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published January 26, 2016. Last updated January 26 2022 for readability and structure.
Cindy Lopez says
Can I use a 9x13 pan? And how do I swirl it?
Marye says
It's too much cake for a 9x13 pan and I've never swirled it.
Holly says
Will this recipe work with 4. - 6” cake pans
Marye says
I've never made it that way - I think there's enough batter but I'm not sure.
Holly says
How many 6” round cake pans will this recipe make. I am looking at making 4. Will this work
Marye says
I am not sure.
Julie says
This cake turned out great!! I made it for my Niece’s Birthday and it was a huge hit. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Katie says
I’m excited to make this for a birthday this week. But, question...the recipe says to line with wax paper. I thought wax paper couldn’t go in the oven. Won’t the wax melt? Thinking parchment paper is for baking in the oven.
Marye says
Either is fine. 🙂
Amy yanda says
Going to make this for Valentines Day. Cherry and almond...perfect combination! Love all your recipes!
Marye says
Amy - you are so sweet. Thanks!
Marsha says
I’ll make this delicious looking cake. But I need to know what size of cake pans is right. In the recipe you say 3 8” pans and below in the instructions you say 3 9” pans. I have either size, but with such a large cake I’ll say it’s 9” ones.
Marye says
I believe so, Marsha. I hate when I do that!
Dana says
I made this cake for my sisters Christmas bday. She wanted an almond vanilla cake, so I googled and found this recipe. I am highly allergic to eggs so I substituted with egg replacer and skipped the cherry cake layer and put in a homemade cherry filling instead. Needless to say the cake was a HUGE HIT. Best cake my family says they have ever had. Just wanted to thank you for sharing the recipe for the cake and icing it was unbelievably GOOD and now GONE...
Carol says
Is it correct that the egg whites are not beaten separately before adding to the batter? I was about to try this recipe but was a bit concerned about whether the cake would rise sufficiently given the amount of flour and only one teaspoon each of baking powder and baking soda.
Marye Audet says
thank you.
Marye Audet says
Aww thanks Julie!
Emily says
This cake looks to die for! I really love almond sweets, such great flavor!
Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily says
What a gorgeous cake! I rarely bake sweets but I'm loving the cherry almond flavors in this! Pinning to make for Valentines Day 😉
Marye Audet says
Let me know what you think, Gwen! Thanks so much.
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says
Cherry and Almond what a great flavor combination. This would be a great dessert for Valentines, or any time. The presentation is beautiful.
Marye Audet says
Thank you so much Michelle!
Ashley - Forking Up says
That is one gorgeous piece of cake! I need to up my cake game...
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
That is a TALL, gorgeous cake! LOVE the flavors too!