I genuinely think about this cherry cake all the time - especially during peak cherry season! Thankfully, this cake can still be made year round with frozen sweet pitted cherries. This Amaretto Cherry Almond Cake light and fluffy - it’s perfect to split with friends and family or to eat yourself over the course of a week. Trust me, I did just that with a cup of tea and it was highly enjoyable. The whole cake was gone within 48 hours!! The base of this cake is a soft, crumbly almond cake. I find that almond cakes tend is be dense but this one is light and bright! When paired with the bold tangy cherries soaked in the amaretto?? I meannn… this is next level addicting! The glaze and whipped cream brings the extra sweetness but keeps the cake light in comparison to a frosted cake. And, of course, the amount of glaze/whipped cream you add will be completely up to you. This can work with almost any fruit. Macerate the fruit beforehand and pair it with an alcohol to compliment (or sans alcohol is fine, too!). Let me know if other fruits work if you decide to try it! For more recipes with amaretto, check out this Flourless Nutella Cake and Amaretto Sour.
How to make the Cherry Almond Cake
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature to ensure a moist cake. Start with macerating and soaking the cherries because they need to sit to let the juices flow out. Step 1: Start with the cherries because they’ll need to sit. Cut them in half and pit them if you haven’t already. Use a cherry pitter to reduce the effort. Coat them in a thin layer of sugar and add a pinch of salt along with the amaretto. Toss and allow it to sit. After 30 minutes, drain all the liquid into another bowl and set aside. Step 2: In the meantime, whip the softened butter and sugar in a bowl on medium speed. It should be light and fluffy before adding eggs. Add in one egg at a time and mix until they’re fully incorporated. Step 3: Add the rest of the liquids - the lemon juice, almond extract, and almond paste. Break up the almond paste as much as possible. Step 4: Whisk together all the dry ingredients - the all purpose flour, almond flour, salt, and baking powder. Step 5: Next, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated. The batter will be thick. Step 6: Remove the springform (8 in) from the base of the pan and layer a sheet of parchment paper. Reattach the springform and cut off excess parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper and the sides of the cake pan. Step 7: Evenly spread about ¾ of the cake batter into the pan. Layer the cherries to completely cover the top. Spread the rest of the batter on top of the cherries. The cherries may sink or pop out on the top, either is fine. Step 8: Sprinkle coarse sugar on to the cake. Pop it into the oven at 350°F degrees for about 25-30 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the middle. The cake is done if it comes out clean and the top has browned. Remove the springform and allow the cake to cool completely. Step 9: In the meantime, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and about a tablespoon of the amaretto cherry liquid. The glaze should be thick, but runny enough to drizzle. The amaretto cherry liquid gives color to the glaze.
Serving Instructions
Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the glaze on top of the cake. Another option is to top it with roasted sliced almonds for an added crunch and a healthy dose of powdered sugar. For the whipped cream - Add the heavy whipping cream, amaretto, and powdered sugar into a shaker bottle. Shake for two minutes until it thickens. Spoon it on top of the cake and garnish it with a fresh cherry.
Storing the Cake
Store the cake under a cake dome for up to 5 days. The cake will not last that long without being eaten, but in case it does make sure it’s properly stored. The cake will dry out if it is not covered. It does not need to be refrigerated. The cake can be frozen for up to 2 months. Make the glaze only when it’s ready to be served.
More Cake Recipes to try
Looking for more dessert recipes? Here’s a few to try!
Recipe
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