Description
This Easy Cherry Cake recipe offers two delightful variations featuring white cake mix combined with cherries—one using Maraschino cherries and cherry Jell-o, and the other incorporating cherry pie filling and sour cream. Both versions bake to a moist, flavorful cake perfect for any occasion, finished with complementary frostings: vanilla buttercream for the Maraschino cherry cake and almond cream cheese frosting for the cherry pie filling cake.
Ingredients
Scale
Maraschino Cherry Cake
- 1 (18 ounce) package white cake mix
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 (3 ounce) package cherry Jell-o
- 1 (10-12 ounce) jar Maraschino cherries, drained
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (prepared or homemade)
Cherry Pie Filling Cake
- 1 (18 ounce) package white cake mix
- 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- Almond Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Softened butter
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Almond extract
- Milk
Instructions
- Prepare for Maraschino Cherry Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Puree Cherries: Place the drained Maraschino cherries in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Mix Batter: In a large bowl, combine the white cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Add the cherry Jell-o package and the pureed cherries to the batter. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Bake Maraschino Cherry Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost Maraschino Cake: Top the cooled cake with vanilla buttercream frosting evenly spread across the surface.
- Prepare for Cherry Pie Filling Cake: Again, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix Pie Filling Batter: In a large bowl, combine the white cake mix, cherry pie filling, sour cream, and eggs. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Bake Cherry Pie Filling Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool fully before frosting.
- Make Almond Cream Cheese Frosting: Combine softened butter and cream cheese in a bowl. Gradually mix in powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Frost Cherry Pie Filling Cake: Spread the almond cream cheese frosting evenly on top of the cooled cake for a delicious finish.
Notes
- Ensure cherries are well drained before pureeing or mixing to avoid excess moisture in the batter.
- Use a food processor or blender for smooth cherry puree to enhance the cake’s texture.
- Check cakes near the end of baking time with a toothpick to prevent overbaking.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- Vanilla buttercream frosting can be store-bought or homemade depending on preference.
- Almond extract adds a nice flavor contrast in the cream cheese frosting but can be omitted if allergies are a concern.
- These cakes store well covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes (Maraschino Cake), 35-40 minutes (Cherry Pie Filling Cake)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cherry cake, easy cherry cake, white cake mix dessert, cherry Jell-o cake, cherry pie filling cake, maraschino cherry cake, vanilla buttercream frosting, almond cream cheese frosting, moist cherry cake
