This Cherry Almond Coffee Cake recipe boasts cherry and almond-scented coffee cake with a cherry filling ribbon and is topped with an almond brown sugar streusel. This cherry coffee cake includes almond extract and sliced almonds to enhance the cherry flavor, since cherries and almonds share the same scent compound.
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Growing up my mom would occasionally make cherry coffee cake. It was made with canned cherry pie filling and an almost biscuit-like dough. While I absolutely love this simpler version, I wanted to take my childhood favorite up a notch. I adapted the batter from Lily P. Crumbs Blueberry Muffin Cake and the streusel from Bake with Zoha’s Blueberry Coffee Cake.
I always buy way too many cherries when they are in season. Last year I bought so many for this Cherry Tiramisu that I ended up having to make a large cherry cake to use them up. Another great way to use them up are these Mixed Berry Varenyky (dumplings).
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Why you'll love this recipe
- The cherry flavor is strong thanks to the almond extract that strengthens it.
- The cake stays moist for days.
- The streusel becomes crunchy giving a nice textural variation to the plush cake.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour is the base of the cake and streusel.
- Cherries flavor the cake through the compote and the slices in the batter.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the cake.
- Honey sweetens the compote.
- Brown sugar sweetens the streusel.
- Sour cream and greek yogurt add richness and moisture to the cake.
- Lemon juice adds tartness to the compote.
- Kosher salt and vanilla bean paste balance the overall flavor profile.
- Egg binds the cake.
- Baking powder gives the cake rise in the oven.
- Cornstarch thickens the compote.
- Sliced almonds and almond extract bring the almond flavor.
- Ground cinnamon flavors the streusel.
- Unsalted butter adds richness to the cake and streusel.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize this cake to your liking:
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- Another fruit — swap cherries for another fruit, like blueberries or raspberries.
- No compote — leave out the compote, but increase the chopped cherries in the batter to 2 cups.
- No cinnamon — leave out the cinnamon in the streusel or swap for another spice, like cardamom.
- Another pan — bake in an 8x8-inch square pan instead.
- No streusel — leave out the streusel and top the cake with granulated sugar before baking.
- No powdered sugar — instead of dusting the top with powdered sugar, make a simple glaze and drizzle it on top. Use this glaze recipe.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to assemble cherry almond coffee cake
Step 1: Spread half of the cake batter mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Step 2: Spread the cherry compote on top of the batter.
Step 3: Dollop the remaining half of the cake batter on top and spread flat, careful not to disturb the cherry compote. Top with the streusel and bake.
Step 4: Dust the top of the cooled coffee cake with powdered sugar and serve.
Hot tips
- Use a small cookie scoop or two small spoons to evenly disperse the second layer of batter to make spreading it over the cherry compote layer easier.
- Use an instant read thermometer in the center of the coffee cake to tell when it is done. It should be between 200°F and 210°F.
- For lining a springform pan, I like to use a circle of parchment for the bottom and a long strip around the edges.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, swap the cherries for another fruit, like blueberries or raspberries.
I baked this in a 9-inch springform pan, but you could also bake this in a square 8x8-inch pan.
No, I would not recommend omitting the egg.
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make this Cherry Almond Coffee Cake recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Cherry Almond Coffee Cake
Equipment
- Beaters optional
Ingredients
Cherry filling
- 2 cups fresh dark-sweet cherries pitted and halved (11.5 oz, 326g)
- ¼ cup honey (81g)
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch kosher salt
Almond brown sugar streusel
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds (35g)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (227g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed (200g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted (170g)
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour after measuring, set aside 2 tablespoons to mix with the cherries
- 1 ½ cups frozen pitted dark-sweet cherries quartered (6.6 oz, 188g)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (113g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup sour cream (115g) room temperature
- ½ cup greek yogurt (118g) whole milk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Do ahead
- Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan or 8x8 inch square metal tin with parchment paper.
Make the cherry filling
- Combine all of the cherry filling ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and bubbly, about 5-10 minutes. I like to mash the cherries a bit during this process, but it is not necessary. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Make the streusel
- In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the almonds, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Combine the melted butter and almond extract together before drizzling it into the dry ingredients. Stir while drizzling to combine until crumbles form. Do not overmix. Mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Refrigerate while you make the cake.
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Measure out the flour into a medium bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of flour from the 2 cups. Add the 2 tablespoons of flour to a small bowl with the frozen cherry pieces and toss to coat. To the rest of the flour add the baking powder and kosher salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a mixer bowl or large bowl with beaters, cream together the butter and sugar for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy, at medium speed.
- Add the egg, vanilla bean paste and almond extract and mix to combine. Add the sour cream and yogurt and mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. The batter will be thick. Add the flour-tossed frozen cherries and mix just until combined.
- Spread half of the cake batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the cooled cherry compote. Add the remaining batter all over the top in dollops and carefully spread out. Top with the streusel.
- Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean*. Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.
