Homemade Cherry Chip Cake
This from-scratch cherry chip cake recipe recreates the nostalgic boxed cake with a soft homemade crumb, real maraschino cherries, and thoroughly tested instructions and baking tips.
Recipe overview: Homemade Cherry Chip Cake
- This cherry chip cake recipe recreates the nostalgic boxed cake with a soft crumb and real maraschino cherries.
- It features tender pink cake layers frosted with my whipped vanilla-almond buttercream frosting.
- Key ingredients include maraschino cherries, cake flour, buttermilk, and both vanilla and almond extracts.
- Follow detailed steps and expert tips to ensure the most beautiful and delicious cake possible!
Summarize & save this content on:
Growing up, my mom let us choose our birthday cake flavor from the mixes at the grocery store. There were plenty to choose from, but every year I picked cherry chip. For those who’ve never had the pleasure, “cherry chip cake” is a pink cake filled with tiny bits of candied maraschino cherries. It’s a nostalgic favorite, and I still LOVE it as an adult.
If you loved the boxed version too, can’t find it on store shelves anymore, or simply want to make cherry chip cake from scratch, this homemade version is for you. It has all the color, cherry flavor, and nostalgia I remember, but made completely from scratch.
“Amazing…tastes like the original box cake and even better! TY for sharing this recipe. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐” —from reader Sara
Ingredients you’ll need
- Maraschino cherries: You’ll need one 10-oz jar that we’ll drain well and finely chop.
- Egg whites: Using only the whites helps keep the cake light in color and texture. Save the yolks for another recipe, like my easy homemade lemon curd.
- Cake flour: Cake flour: Its lower protein content helps create a softer, more tender cake. Learn more about why cake flour makes cakes more tender.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and flavor, while its acidity reacts with the baking soda to help with rise.
- Almond extract: We’ll use it in both the cake layers and frosting, as it complements the cherry flavor nicely.
Recipe variations
- Use a different frosting: Flavor buttercream with reserved maraschino cherry juice for a pink cherry frosting, increase the almond extract for a stronger almond-flavored frosting, or substitute my chantilly cream frosting for a lighter, less-sweet frosting option.
- Bake into cupcakes: Fill cups of a muffin pan fitted with cupcake liners only two-thirds full and bake at 350°F, checking around 15–18 minutes.
- Bake in a 9×13 pan: Here’s how you can make this cake super easy! Use a metal 9×13-inch pan prepped with parchment paper and non-stick baking spray, then add cake batter and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.
How to make this cherry chip cake, step by step
Annalise’s expert tips
- I thoroughly retested this recipe in 2025 after several readers reported that the original version baked up too dense. I adjusted the ingredient ratios and method to produce a lighter, more reliable crumb. The recipe below reflects all of that testing, so I recommend following the ingredient amounts and method as written.
- A food processor is the best tool to chop cherries that don’t sink to the bottom. It makes it easy to get them really fine and uniform. If you don’t have a food processor, use a knife and be thorough.
- Dairy and eggs should be at room temperature for the best rise and texture. Pull them from the fridge 30-60 minutes before you begin. Learn why room temperature ingredients matter.
- I prefer three 8-inch cake pans for this cake. If using only two 8-inch pans, they need to be at least 3 inches deep so the batter doesn’t overflow. You can also use 9-inch pans, but the finished layers will be thinner.
- If you’re new to baking layer cakes or need a little help, be sure to check out my complete guide for how to build a layer cake. It’s got everything you need to know— how to keep cakes from sticking to the pan, how to bake even cake layers, how to frost a cake, and more!
- How to make cherry chip cake in advance: Baked cake layers, wrapped in plastic, will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to 3 months (thaw in plastic before assembling cake). See my tutorial on how to store and freeze cake layers for more information. I prefer to make frosting fresh when possible, and assemble within a day of serving.
baking tip:Why you should use cake flour
Cake flour is high in starch and low in protein. It’s the proteins in all-purpose flour that can cause a cake to be tough if the batter is overworked, and cake flour helps to make sure that doesn’t happen. Use cake flour in a recipe when it calls for it and you’re setting yourself up for success every time.
If you don’t have cake flour on hand, substitute 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for 1 cup of cake flour. You can also simply just use all-purpose flour, cup for cup. The results won’t quite be the same, there’s not the same guarantee of success, but you’ll likely still have a delicious cake.
Cherry chip cake FAQs
Can I use fresh or frozen cherries instead of maraschino cherries?
No, neither of these are good options for this cake. Using maraschino cherries achieves the “cherry chip” flavor of the original cake box mix. If you’re looking for a cake made with fresh cherries, try my cherry chocolate cake instead.
Why did my cherries sink to the bottom?
Likely the cherries weren’t chopped small enough, or had too much liquid. Follow instructions for best results. To be extra sure this doesn’t happen, you can toss the cherries in 1 tablespoon of flour before adding them to the cake batter, but this step isn’t required.
Can I freeze cherry chip cake?
This cherry chip layer cake will freeze very well. Assemble it on a cardboard round, then chill in the fridge for a few hours to firm it up. Next, cover in 2 layers of plastic wrap and place in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before removing plastic wrap.
More layer cakes
- Cherry Chocolate Cake with Cherry Vanilla Buttercream
- Raspberry White Chocolate Cake
- The Ultimate Vanilla Layer Cake
- Funfetti Cake
Have you tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious.
Homemade Cherry Chip Cake
A homemade, from-scratch version of my favorite cherry chip cake box mix. It's light and fluffy, full of maraschino cherries, and frosted with vanilla-almond buttercream.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 10 oz (283 grams) jar maraschino cherries , plus more for decoration if desired
- 1 cup (226 grams) butter , softened at room temperature
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large egg whites , at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups (375 grams) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
- 1 ½ cup (340 grams) buttermilk , at room temperature
For the buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup (226 grams) butter , softened at room temperature
- 4 cups (450 grams) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (56 grams) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Drain the maraschino cherries thoroughly, reserving the juice, then pat dry. In a food processor (or with a sharp knife), pulse the cherries several times until they're finely chopped. They should be about the size of large sprinkles, larger chunks will sink to the bottom. Set aside.10 oz (283 grams) jar maraschino cherries
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the egg whites one at a time, mixing lightly after each, followed by the vanilla and almond extracts.1 cup (226 grams) butter, 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar, 4 large egg whites, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- In a separate bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 3 cups (375 grams) cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add maraschino cherry juice to buttermilk and stir until light pink. 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice, 1 ½ cup (340 grams) buttermilk
- Add the flour mixture to the mixer in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture. Mix after each addition and scrape down the bowl as necessary.
- Gently stir in the chopped maraschino cherries until they're evenly distributed through the batter, but do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake until center domes slightly and springs back when gently pressed with a finger, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool in the pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting and assemble the cake:
- Place the butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract and almond extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (alternately you can use a hand-held mixer). Mix on low speed until moistened, then increase speed to high and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.1 cup (226 grams) butter, 4 cups (450 grams) powdered sugar, ¼ cup (56 grams) heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Cover with a ½-1 cup of the buttercream frosting. Repeat with second cake layer, and then third, covering the top and sides of the cake with remaining buttercream.
- Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If your kitchen is warm or you prefer firm slices, store in the fridge.
Video
Notes
- Butter, buttermilk and egg whites should be at room temperature for best results. Your cake will be taller and fluffier! Pull them out about 1 hour before baking, but note that eggs are easier to separate when cold.
- How to measure flour accurately: All recipes are tested with the spoon and level method of measuring flour. Gently scoop it into a measuring cup until it overflows, and then scrape a straight-edged knife across the top to level it flat. Or for most accurate results, use a kitchen scale and weigh in grams.
- Store leftover egg yolks in the fridge for about a week, but they also freeze well. Whisk 4 egg yolks with 1 teaspoon of sugar (this helps the yolks not gelatinize) and store in a ziplock bag for up to 1 month. Thaw in fridge before using in other baking recipes.
- How to ensure cherry chips don’t sink to the bottom: Make sure they are uniformly chopped very fine. Use a food processor and pulse 7-10 times and scrape down the sides as needed. Then make sure they’re evenly distributed through the batter. They are sticky and like to cling together!
- Frosting variations: Substitute 2 tablespoons of heavy cream for more cherry juice for a pink cherry frosting, increase the almond extract to 1/2 teaspoon for a stronger almond-flavored frosting, or substitute my chantilly cream frosting for a less-sweet frosting option.
Calories: 563kcal, Carbohydrates: 81g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 150mg, Potassium: 133mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 63g, Vitamin A: 809IU, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.
Recipe testing history: After reader feedback about the cake being too dense, I have completely re-tested this recipe. I made a few adjustments to ingredient amounts and the baking method. It’s now better than ever! Follow the recipe as written with my expert tips and you’re guaranteed a perfect cherry chip layer cake. Recipe originally published February 2014, fully updated February 2025.
What type of salt do you use?
For cake recipes I use regular table salt.
I love how light this cake is!!
However I did find it sank in the center, what would have caused that?
I was trying the cake out to see how it turned out for my daughters wedding shower. Would it be best for me to double up the cake batter and cut it in 1/2 to achieve my desired results. Wondering as the cake is very light, not sure how well it would cut without too much crumbling?
I plan on a 2 teir cake. The bottom to be a carrot cake (4 layers)and the top to be cherry chip. The bottom when completed will be 8″ by 14″ and the top 8″by 8″ rounds(4 layers). Completed with fondant.
Hi Suzanna! Unfortunately, a lot of factors can influence the cake and cause it to sink, and without being with you in your kitchen while you baked it, I couldn’t say for sure what went wrong. A few things I’d try – 1) open the oven door as little as possible, in fact I wouldn’t open it at all for the first 20 minutes. 2) Make sure the cake is fully done when you take it out of the oven. 3) Measure ingredients by weight instead of volume to ensure exactness. 4) Make sure your leavening hasn’t expired. As for baking a double-thick layer and cutting vs baking 2 cakes, that’s up to you. I have a hard time splitting cakes evenly so I would bake them separate, but that’s just me. Good luck!
So I made this cake for my daughters birthday and it turned out great. I did make a substitution though. I don’t like maraschino cherries. I found a 10 oz bag of frozen dark sweet cherries and used them instead. It made for a darker in color cake and maybe a little less sweet but everyone at the party loved it. I used my favorite butter cream recipe as well. I tried yours but it was sweeter than I like. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. The cake was great.
Thanks for sharing. I am about to ask if I can use fresh berries. Should I cut n freeze it beforehand?
Hi Yvonne, I’ve never made this cake with fresh cherries and I couldn’t tell you if it’ll work or not. Fresh cherries have more liquid in them than maraschino so some alterations will probably need to be made.
I have tried making this cake three times in the past few months. Once for my wife’s birthday and two other times just because I could. It is an excellent recipe.
My only problem I’m having with it, is that the cherries keep sinking to the bottom of the pan while cooking. I’ve tried adding more flour, and I tried drying off the cherries with a paper towel before adding them. But they always end up in a single layer at the bottom of the cake. It tastes excellent, but still.
What am I doing wrong?
Hi Joseph! I have had that problem with pieces of cherries that were too large. Try to get all of the cherries chopped as small as you can without pureeing them. You can also toss the cherries with some of the flour used in the recipe to see if that will help.
Why not purée it?
Well if you puree it, it wouldn’t be “cherry chip”. It would just be cherry. But it’s something worth trying if that’s what you want!
Toss the tiny cherries in a bit of the flour you’re using. It’ll help them not sink down because it absorbs the water that comes out of the cherries as they cook.
Whenever I add nuts, choc chips, or fruit in to a batter I toss them with a little bit of flour before I fold them in. I learned it from Ina Garten years ago. I hope this helps with your cherries sinking!
Hi Annalise,
I was searching for a cherry chip cake recipe for a colleague whose bday is coming up and this is her favorite type of cake. She is allergic to gluten, so I will need to use gluten free flour… would you anticipate any adverse effects for this recipe? I know it may change the texture somewhat, but wondered if you have any gluten-free experience to share. Thank you for this recipe!!
Hi Siobhan! I have not tried this recipe with gluten free flour so I’m afraid I can’t offer any feedback on how the recipe will work using it. You can certainly give it a try!
Hi there! I was looking for a recipe to make for Valentine’s day this weekend & found this post, which sounds amazing! I’d like to make a 3 tiered, heart-shaped cake. I have the heart-shaped pans which are 6×2 inches. Do you happen to know if the measurements you have listed would work? I know that technically 2 8-inch pans do not measure the same as 3 6-inch pans, but possibly the shape difference plays a part. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Happy early birthday!
Hi Suzy! You can definitely use your pans. However, you may not end up needing all of the batter. I would prepare the batter as directed, filling each pan only half way. If you have any batter left over, you can always make a few cupcakes. Hope this helps, sounds like a fun Valentine’s cake!
This looks amazing. I will try it soon.
Do you have to use cake flour or is it ok to use all purpose? I’ve read a lot of people do not like the aftertaste of cake flour in baked goods and I’ve never used it before. Cherry chip is my son and daughter’s favorite. I’ve been searching everywhere for a homemade version. Thank you.
You can substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour, and I have done so in the past when I opened my pantry only to find I was out of cake flour. However, do expect some subtle differences. The cake will be a little less tender and a little more dense. Not very noticeable, but still different. For best results, I try to use cake flour whenever it is called for.
Thank you for the clarification. Ended up making mini cupcakes instead. They were a huge hit at our party!
Thanks for the awesome recipe. Just to be clear, does the cake recipe yield just one layer of the cake or both? In other words, do I have to double the amounts above to make both 8-inch layers?
The cake recipe is for two layers!
trying to understand if it is necessary to butter and flour the pans “and” put parchment paper on them? You put the parchment paper over the butter and flour ?
Yes, I do both. I butter the pan, line it with parchment, butter the parchment, and dust it all with flour. Hope this helps!
I can see why this was on your “best of” for this year! It’s gorgeous. Pinned twice- “Recipes to Try” and “Valentine’s Day”. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
Happy New Year!
Thanks so much. Hope you get a chance to try it!
For some reason i followed the directions completely and for some reason its coming out really runny and dense and takes longer than 30 min. Wondering what happened…
Mine, also, turned out dense, took much longer to cook and the cherries all settled at the bottom. Not happy with it at all. Glad I did a trial run because I have to do a cherry cake for a little boy in a few weeks. Not sure I’ll try this one again or keep looking.
Be sure you didn’t leave the butter out to soften too long, the batter in most cakes counts on slightly softened butter, still cold and not shiny or empty. Usually just 10 minutes on the counter does the trick. Then it should cut easily. Also take about 1/4 cup of the Already measured flour and set it aside, after the cherries are drained and chopped, toss them in the 1/4 cup of the flour. It will keep them from sinking. I’ve made this many times and it always comes out great.
i have to make a cake for my husband’s birthday this week. Was gong to make a confetti cake and then came across this recipe which I think he’ll like even more. I am preparing to make it now! Hope mine turns out so lovely as this picture!
This cake turned out fantastic! Now just to make the frosting and I will be all set for birthday celebration!
Hi Annalise,
My autistic brother’s favorite cake is cherry chip, and when I couldn’t find a mix at the store to make for his birthday, I checked online and found your recipe. It looked so good that I couldn’t wait to make it! I actually made two since there was a number of people at the party. I followed the recipe exactly and the cakes were gorgeous and delicious! Everyone loved them. I put a little red food coloring in the icing for one one them because my brother wanted a light pink icing. I left the other one white because I thought it was so pretty. Adding the whipping cream and mixing the icing for 5 minutes made it so much fluffier than any I had ever made before. Maybe sifting the powdered sugar helped too?Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe and for such great instructions. I will make this cake for him every year! P.S. I loves your story and hope you had a great birthday too.
Hi Jan! Thank you so much for the comment! I’m happy to hear that your brother and family enjoyed this cake as much as I did. 🙂
I have to chime in my “two cents” and say instead of red food color in the frosting, just a bit of the cherry juice will also tint the frosting pink. 🙂