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!
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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.
Was tasty but heavy and flat. Then I read other recipes for classic white cake made with buttermilk and egg whites, and those recipes called for egg whites whipped to stiff peaks and gently folded into the batter as last step before filling pans.
Hands down this is an excellent recipe! I’ve made this cake year after year for a friend’s birthday! The cake is super moist and the almond with the cherries is just the best!
My daughter is gluten intolerant and she loves cherry chip cake. I found this recipe and I use all purpose gluten free flour instead of regular flour. This is her new favourite. She loves this cake. It’s so much better than the boxed cake mix. The rest of the family couldn’t tell that it was gluten free. Thanks for this recipe you have made my daughter so happy. ?❤️
Made this cake and it was great! Used two nine inch cake pans. Made a swiss meringue buttercream instead of American buttercream – I thought American would be to sweet for us. It was perfect and a hit!
This recipe is great! So much better than a boxed cherry chip cake. It is moist and delicious, perfect for cakes or cupcakes
Simply amazing. Thank you!!
My girlfriend loved it.
I made this recipe in three pans. They were thin as pancakes and overdone because they were so thin. I have reread the ingredients and instructions several times and don’t understand how they turned out so horrible. The texture was not like a cake at all. I’m very disappointed. The color and the cherry chips look beautiful though.
Hmm, what size cake pans did you use? It sounds like the bake time wasn’t adjusted, thinner layers will need less time, and I’m sorry if the instructions weren’t clear about that!
I made this cake as cupcakes for valentines to take to a bible study and everyone loved them. I used cherry frosting which paired together perfectly. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. This is one of my favorite cake recipes. I can’t wait to make it as a cake. I really liked the cherry chip cake mix that you could buy,but this is so much better.
Thee absolute best cake recipe! I’ve been using this recipe for a few years now and it’s always a big hit ! Light and fluffy. Frosting is AMAZING!! Thank you for sharing this recipe
Every year my husband always asks for the Betty Crocker Cherry Chip cake his birthday. It is the only time I ever use a cake mix…after today…not anymore. I made this cake for his 50th birthday and it was a hit!!! No more cake mix!
This recipe has made it to my favorites!! I’ve made it for graduation parties, it’s been requested for birthdays and just because. Love it. I have to say Thank you for sharing ?
I made this for my twin sons birthday they loved it! So for Mother’s Day I made the cake with chocolate frosting my mom’s favorite candy is chocolate covered cherries so it was a big hit for her too. Cake is so light we all love it
Just made my first cherry chip cake since I was a little girl and made cupcakes from a Duncan Hines Cherry Chip Mix. Needless to say I’m not sad they stopped making the mix. It was my birthday cake in quarantine so I needed it to be extra special and make up for the fact that I was having my birthday alone this year. The batter was so light and fluffy I felt sure it would deflate with the addition of the cherries but that didn’t happen, It baked up beautifully, I made a three-layer cake using 7″ cake pans
From the very first bite, it was delicious, buttery, not too sweet, just the perfect balance and very moist and fluffy. I have to say…spending my birthday alone in quarantine AND trying to replicate a childhood memory was a pretty tall order for a cake, but I’m happy I took the time, and so happy with the results. It didn’t disappoint.
Picture shows it three layers but directions say two pans, going to make this on Saturday, is it two or three pans?
You can use either 2 or 3 pans, or even 4. It depends on the look you’re going for. Hope this helps!
This is a little late in coming, I used three 7″ pans which I bought several years ago and I find I’m so much happier with. MOST recipes are portioned for two pans, then they show you a picture of a cake with three layers and that requires that you make 1.5 times the recipe which is so frustrating!!! That was not the case here, in fact I was so happy to find specifics like two Tablespoons of juice and 30 cherries-since I bought a larger jar of cherries-I’d have been calculating the difference between 10 ounces and 16. For that reason too, I’ll spend more time on this site and see what else there is to be found that is wonderful If you like the look of three layers all the time…you might want to invest in three smaller pans 7″ pans
THAT SAID this recipe will work with 2 or 3 beautifully, its such a good recipe (the science is good and I hope you found that to be the case) it really can tolerate a lot of options. One note, when doing three 8″ vs two–you might find you need more frosting.
Light and fluffy this cake is not. I carefully weighted my ingredients and followed the mixing instructions. Got an oven thermostat to make sure about cooking time. My cake was not great, either in texture or flavor.