Cherry Layer Cake {with Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting}

Cherry Layer Cake {with Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting}

This cherry layer cake is tinted pink with cherry juice from none other then a maraschino cherry jar. Maraschino cherries are mixed into the cake batter to make sure the cherry flavour shines. A tart cherry cream cheese frosting finishes off this cake that is perfect for any occasion!

Course Dessert

Cuisine North American

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 28

Servings slices

Calories 808kcal

Author Nina

Equipment

Three 8" or 9" round cake pans

Ingredients

Cherry Cake Layers

2½ cups all purpose flour + another 2 tablespoons for dusting cherries
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 large egg whites room temperature
⅔ cup maraschino cherry juice
¾ cup whole milk room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup sour cream room temperature
20 maraschino cherries

Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
8 cups powdered sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cherry Cake Layers

Preheat oven to 350° (180°C). Grease and line three 8" or 9" round cake pans with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.
In another medium bowl, whisk egg whites, cherry juice, milk, and vanilla together.
Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sour cream and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Mix in half the dry ingredients until combined. Mix in all the egg white mixture until combined, then the rest of the dry ingredients.
Mix cherries with 2 tablespoons of flour until coated, then fold into cake batter. Pour batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl. Add cherry juice and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in powdered sugar until fully combined.

Assembly

Place one cake layer on a cake decorating plate, or a serving plate and top with some frosting, about half a cup. Place another cake layer on top, and frost, then another cake layer, and more frosting.
Frost the sides of the cake, and decorate the top with piped frosting and cherries. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Leftovers will keep for 3 days.

Notes

You will need two 10oz (or 375ml) jars of maraschino cherries for this recipe. 1 full jar for the cake and 1 jar needed for the juice for the frosting, and some cherries to decorate.
Mix the cake ingredients until just combined.
To ensure a cake is moist, you can brush each layer with a simple syrup. Heat ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool at room temperature before using.
If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Nutrition