This Heart Shaped Cherry Cake is as sweet as it is stunning! This cherry cake recipe is soft, tender, incredibly moist and just bursting with cherry flavor. Topped with a luscious cherry buttercream, it’s the perfect centerpiece for Valentine’s Day, birthdays or any special occasion!
Looking for more Valentine’s Day desserts? Make sure to check out my Red Velvet Cake, Chocolate Cheesecake for Two and these Sweet Heart Cupcakes!
Heart Shaped Cake
Pretty in pink and bursting with cherry flavor, this Heart Shaped Cherry Cake is the ultimate treat for any special occasion! Made with maraschino cherries, rich buttermilk and a hint of almond extract, every bite is soft, moist, and full of flavor. If you love cherry desserts, this cherry cake is sure to steal your heart!
Frosted with a silky cherry buttercream and decorated with dainty pink sugar pearls and maraschino cherries, this cake isn’t just dessert – it’s a total showstopper! This vintage heart cake is perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or anytime you want to spread a little love.
What Is A Cherry Chip Cake?
This cherry cake recipe is actually a cherry chip cake. That’s a cherry cake that has pieces of cherry in the actual cake. Sometimes chocolate chips are added to the batter as well. You can add up to half a cup of mini chocolate chips to this recipe and then bake as directed.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Pretty in pink and absolutely delicious! This vintage heart cake is made with maraschino cherries, a hint of almond and a silky cherry buttercream that’s as dreamy as it looks. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just treating yourself, this cake is sure to make hearts swoon! I know you’re going to love this cherry cake recipe as much as we do, here’s why:
- Beautiful and Festive: – The heart shape, pink frosting, and cherry decorations make this cake a showstopper for any special occasion.
- Incredible Flavor: This cherry chip cake is the perfect balance of cherry and almond – one of my favorite flavor combinations! The maraschino cherry frosting is the perfect finish!
- Moist and Tender: Thanks to buttermilk and cherry juice, the texture stays light and fluffy and the cake has amazing flavor.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can bake the cake layers in advance and freeze them for easy assembly later!
How to Make Cherry Cake
Sweet, charming and full of cherry flavor, this This Heart Shaped Cherry Cake is an absolute showstopper with its soft, tender crumb, luscious cherry buttercream and decorated for a special occasion. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or just because – this cake is love at first bite!
Let’s take a quick look at how to make this cake and as always, you can find the full, printable recipe card at the end of this post.
1. Prepare the Cake Batter
- Combine buttermilk and cherry juice.
- Stir together until combined. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar together.
- Add the egg whites, almond extract, vanilla extract and melted butter and mix until smooth.
- Add the flour and baking soda. Mix until combined. Slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture and mix until incorporated.
- Toss cherries in a bit of flour (to prevent sinking) then fold them into the cake batter. Evenly divide the batter between three cake pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes on the center rack until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cherry Frosting
- Cream butter until smooth.
- Mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add in the cherry juice and almond extract. Mix until combined.
Assembly
- Frost the top of one of the cooled cakes with about 1⁄2 cup of frosting. Repeat with remaining two cakes.
- Add frosting to the entire cake using an offset spatula to smooth the frosting.
- Decorate cake with remaining frosting.
Storage Information
- Make Ahead: Bake the cake in advance and store wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer. The frosting can be made up to 3 days in advance. Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let sit out for 15 minutes to soften before frosting the cake.
- Refrigeration: Store the assembled cake in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, and then place in an airtight ziploc bag. The frosted cake can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Can I use fresh cherries instead of maraschino cherries?
You can but the color of the cake as well as the flavor won’t be the same. Pit and dice fresh cherries, but keep in mind they won’t provide the same vibrant color and sweetness.
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
You can make a buttermilk substitute by mixing ¾ cup milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit for 5 minutes before using.
Can I bake this in a 9×13-inch pan instead?
Absolutely! I made a three layer cake using 6 inch heart shaped pans but this cake can be made in a 9×13 instead. The baking time will be closer to 35-40 minutes, so check for doneness with a toothpick. This cake can also be made in two 8 or 9 inch round baking pans.
Is it possible to make the frosting a deeper pink?
Sure! Just add a few drops of pink or red gel food coloring for a bolder color.
Trish’s Tips
- Allow the cake to fully cool before you start frosting. I even like to put the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes before frosting to help keep the crumbs at bay.
- Pat the maraschino cherries dry with a paper towel before placing them on the cake to eliminate excess juice leaking onto your frosting.
- Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother batter consistency.
- Don’t over mix the batter as it can create a dense cake. Mix just until combined.
- Before frosting, trim the tops of the cakes so they are perfectly flat. This creates a beautifully stacked cherry layer cake.
More Recipes for Valentine’s Day
- Pink Ombre Swirl Cake
- Valentine’s Snack Mix
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Heart Shaped Valentine’s Day Cookies
- Valentine’s Heart Cookie Boxes
Heart Shaped Cherry Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cherry Cake
- ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
- ⅔ cup maraschino cherry juice
- 1 cup salted butter ½ cup softened, ½ cup melted
- 1⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup liquid egg whites room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups cake flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup maraschino cherries diced and dried of excess juice
Cherry Frosting
- 1½ cups salted butter softened
- 6 to 7 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
Garnish
- maraschino cherries with stems
- pink sugar pearls
Instructions
Cherry Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease (3) 6 inch cake pans. I used heart-shaped! Set aside. (Two 8 inch cake pans can be used instead.)
- Mix together the buttermilk and cherry juice. Set aside.¾ cup buttermilk, ⅔ cup maraschino cherry juice
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar. Add the egg whites, almond extract, vanilla extract and melted butter. Mix until combined and smooth.1 cup salted butter, 1⅓ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup liquid egg whites, 1½ teaspoons almond extract, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.2½ cups cake flour, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Add to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Slowly pour in the buttermilk/cherry juice mixture and mix until incorporated.
- Roll the diced cherries in a bit of flour then fold them into the cake batter. Evenly divide the batter between the three cake pans.1 cup maraschino cherries
- Bake for 30-35 minutes on the center rack. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Set aside and allow to cool slightly. Then remove from pans and place on a wire rack to fully cool.
Cherry Frosting
- In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth.1½ cups salted butter
- Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time until you have the consistency you prefer.6 to 7 cups powdered sugar
- Add in the cherry juice and almond extract. Mix until combined.¼ cup maraschino cherry juice, 2 teaspoons almond extract
Assembly
- On a cake stand, smear a tiny bit of frosting in the center, then place the first cake.
- Frost the top of the cake with about 1⁄2 cup of frosting. Smooth out.
- Place the next cake on top of the first frosted cake. Frost the top of this cake as well.
- Add the third cake.
Decorating (Decorate the cake however you choose, this is just how I did it…)
- Add frosting to the entire cake and use an offset spatula to smooth out the cake.
- Transfer the remaining frosting to a piping back and using a star tip, pipe a border around the top and bottom of the cake.
- Pipe a dollop of frosting every two inches in the center of the cake.
- Swap tips to a small writing tip, and pipe two frosting drapes between each dollop to connect the dollops.
- Add pink sugar pearl sprinkles on the top center of the cake then place cherries around the top and bottom border of the cake.pink sugar pearls, maraschino cherries with stems
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make Ahead: Bake the cake in advance and store wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer. The frosting can be made up to 3 days in advance. Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let sit out for 15 minutes to soften before frosting the cake.
- Refrigeration: Store the assembled cake in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, and then place in an airtight ziploc bag. The frosted cake can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Can I bake this in a 9×13-inch pan instead? Absolutely! The baking time will be closer to 35-40 minutes, so check for doneness with a toothpick. This cake can also be made in two 8 or 9 inch round baking pans.
Is it possible to make the frosting a deeper pink? Sure! Just add a few drops of pink or red gel food coloring for a bolder color.
Please see post above for more information, recipe tips and frequently asked questions.
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