Cherry pie filled with ripe sweet cherries is a summer favorite. This easy cake can be made with fresh or frozen sweet cherries. A hint of almond extract in the filling and a light hand with the sugar make the cherries shine.
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Most commercial cherry pies, and the cherry pies my grandmother used to make for us, are made with tart cherries, which are bright, bright red, and almost impossible to find fresh.
But if you have access to fresh sweet cherries when they’re in season (or even frozen out of season), you can easily make a pie with them too!
What makes the recipe special is not adding too much sugar. Cherries are naturally sweet. We also add some almond extract to the filling.
There is something magical about the flavor combination of cherries and almonds (see our cherry clafouti) and they go really well with the cake.
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The best cherries for cakes
Look for dark, sweet Bing cherries for this cake. Yellow-red Rainier cherries also work well, but they’re milder in flavor than Bings and therefore make for a milder-tasting cake.
Make sure your cherries are firm and plump. Avoid cherries that look shriveled or unclean.
Frozen cherries can also be used to make pies. Just let them thaw completely in a colander before making your cake.
How to pit your cherries
As Elise says, “It helps to have a good cherry pit. Removing these pits can be quite time-consuming.” If you don’t have a cherry pit, try one of the following options:
- Strike the cherry with the flat of the knife and remove the stone
- Use a bamboo stick to poke out the pit
- Use a paperclip to snag the pit
- Squeeze out the seeds with a spatula.
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The best pie crust for cherry pie
Elise likes a plain butter pie crust for her cherry pie, but any favorite pie crust will work for this recipe (even a store-bought one).
Want to make a lattice crust for your cake? Follow the steps and photos in this post.
Make Ahead Instructions for Cherry Pie
Good news! Cherry pie is best prepared in advance and completely cooled to room temperature before serving. As tempting as it is to slice into the cake fresh out of the oven, you’ll get cleaner slices if you wait.
Your baked cake will keep at room temperature for about three days, wrapped in plastic wrap. You can also keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days, but the crust tends to age faster.
You can also freeze the whole cake. Allow to cool completely, then wrap tightly in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months, then thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
love cherries? Try these recipes!
- cherrycake
- Cherry hand pies
- Sweet cherry cobbler
- Cherry ice cream with chocolate chips
- Frozen yogurt with cherries
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Sweet cherry cake
We used 1/2 cup of sugar for the filling, resulting in a not-overly-sweet cake. You can use more or less sugar depending on how sweet you want your cake and how sweet your cherries are.
ingredients
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pie dough Per above and below 9 or 10 inch cake (see pie crust Recipe)
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5 cups sweet cherriesgutted
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1/2 Cup sugar
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1/2 teaspoon almond extract
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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6 tablespoon cornstarch
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2 teaspoon buttercut into small pieces
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1 big egg
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coarse sugar, Per sprinkle
method
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Make the cherry filling:
In a large bowl, combine pitted cherries, sugar, almond extract, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Stir until cherries are well coated with sugar and other ingredients.
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Roll out the floor:
On a lightly floured, clean surface, roll out the bottom crust. Shape it into a 9 or 10 inch cake pan. Using kitchen scissors, trim the edges so that they extend 1 inch (2.5 cm) beyond the edge of the tart pan. Place in the fridge while you roll out the top crust.
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Roll out top crust:
Roll out the top dough about the same size as the bottom dough. If you want to make a lattice topper (it’s pretty and easy to make), follow these instructions for making a lattice pie crust.
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Fill cake:
Using a slotted spoon, scoop the cherries out of the bowl and place them on the cake stand. (Leave excess liquid behind.) Puncture with small dabs of butter. Cover with the top crust. Cut off the edges. Crimp to seal the edges together.
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Rate the cake and cool:
Score the top layer with several slits to allow steam to escape while the cake bakes (unnecessary if making a wire shelf). Chill the cake for 30 minutes before baking.
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Preheat oven to 425°F
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Brush with egg yolk (optional):
In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water or milk. Use a pastry brush to brush across the top crust. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar.
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Bake:
Place the cake on the middle rack, with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any cake drips.
Bake 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350F and bake 45 to 55 minutes longer or until crust is nicely browned and filling is thick and bubbly.
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Allow to cool completely before serving:
Store the cake, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 472 | calories |
| 20g | Fat |
| 70g | carbohydrates |
| 5g | protein |
