Cherry Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)

Made with fresh cherries and a sugary butter streusel topping, this easy and beautiful Cherry Coffee Cake Recipe is a delicious summertime treat that can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Cakes of all shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors are a personal favorite of mine and include thisBlood Orange Upside Down Cake,Persimmon Pumpkin Pudding Cake, andBig Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake.

Cherry Coffee Cake

First things first, this coffee cake? You should probably make it. Just trust me here- it is literally that good. Even if you’re not into fruity cakes or desserts, I have a sneaking suspicion you’re going to love this cherry (breakfast) cake.

Perfect as both a breakfast treat or after dinner dessert, this cherry coffee cake is moist and buttery and dotted with delicious tart bing cherries and topped with a sweet crumbly streusel topping.

Inspired by the oh so talented Tutti-Dolci, this coffee cake recipe is what breakfast dreams are made of. I did make a couple of small changes and the results were perfect. This beauty lasted all but 24 hours in my house.

INGREDIENTS IN THIS CHERRY COFFEE CAKE RECIPE

• flour
• sugar
• cinnamon
• butter
• vanilla extract
• baking powder
• baking soda
• buttermilk
• eggs
• fresh cherries

Oh yes, BUTTERMILK! Is it just me or are all baked goodies better when they’re made with buttermilk? Buttermilk adds a delicious and almost addictive tang to cakes and quickbreads that you won’t get from regular milk. Buttermilk, a well-known meat tenderizer, acts similarly in baking to help keep cakes moist and fluffy.

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERMILK

Yayy! You have all the ingredients to make this awesome cherry coffee cake…except for the buttermilk.

That’s ok. Making your own buttermilk is easy. All you need is,

1. Milk
2. Vinegar, fresh lemon juice, or cream of tartar

Hopefully, you have milk (yes, dairy milk) and one of the other things, otherwise, I hope you live super close to the grocery store or you have super friendly neighbors…

• Buttermilk + vinegar OR lemon juice– add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup and fill with milk until it measures 1 cup. Mix well to combine.
• Buttermilk + cream of tartar– mix one cup milk with 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar.

TOOLS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS CHERRY COFFEE CAKE RECIPE

• Cherry pitter (optional)- I used a knife. It dyes your hands and takes a ton of time, but it’s effective.
• 10-inch springform pan
• Pastry Brush
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer

How to make Cherry Coffee Cake

1. Start by preparing your cherries. Remove the stems and pits by carefully slicing around each cherry (to cut in half). Use your thumb to dig out the pit. Slice each cherry into halves or quarters. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a large springform pan. Simplymelt a little butter in a bowl, brush it all over the inside of the pan with a pastry brush and sprinkle with a light coat of flour, tapping the sides of the pan to remove any excess.
3. Prepare your crumb topping by mixing together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, butter, and vanilla in a small bowl. Transfer to the freezer to prevent it from melting until ready to use.
4. To make the cake, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate, smaller mixing bowl, mix together the buttermilk with the vanilla and set aside.
5. In a new large, clean, mixing bowl, OR the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing between each addition.
6. Begin adding the flour mixture in three separate additions, each separated by the addition of half the buttermilk mixture. Mix only until everything is just incorporated.
7. Grab your prepared pan. Transfer the butter to the pan and smooth the surface with a spatula or wooden spoon. Top the cake in an even layer with your prepared cherries and gently press the cherries down into the batter, just slightly. Top the cake with the crumb topping and place in your preheated oven.
8. Bake for 70-85 minutes. Allow cake to rest in the pan for 15 minutes before removing.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST CHERRY COFFEE CAKE

Fortunately, this recipe is pretty straight-forward. In other words- everyone should be able to make this delicious cherry cake to share with their friends. That said, I have just a few simple tips to help keep you on track.

• Don’t forget to butter and flour your pan. I could tell you a long story about how this who thing used to completely confuse me,how do I get the butter all over the pan?, but I’ll save the story for another day. Instead, melt a little butter in a bowl, brush it all over the inside of the pan with a pastry brush and sprinkle with a light coat of flour, tapping the sides of the pan to remove any excess. Easy, right?
• Try not to over-mix your batter.
• Unless you really like tiny bits of fruit, simply pit your cherries and slice them in half.
• It willseem like you’re adding a ton of cherries to the top of your cake, but you’re not.
• Remember to gently press the cherries into the batter before adding the crumb topping. This will help prevent them from drying out.
• After an hour, regularly check your cherry cake to see if it is done baking. All ovens cook differently and the last thing you want is a dry cake.
• Store leftovers in a sealed, air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Love Cherries? Check out,

• Cherry Bruschetta Recipe
• Cherry Overnight Oats with Cherry Banana Nice Cream
• Cherry and Rocket Panzanella Salad
• Roasted Peach and Cherry Coconut Popsicles
• Cherry BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Pickled Red Onions + Coleslaw
• Cherry Cocoa Smoothie

If you try making this Cherry Coffee Cake Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know!I always love to hear your thoughts.

For morebreakfastrecipescheck out,

• Vanilla Overnight Oats Breakfast Bowl
• Papaya Breakfast Bowls
• Creamy Baked Eggs with Spinach and Prosciutto
• Egg Frittata Recipe- How to make a Frittata
• Pumpkin French Toast Bake
• Crispy Waffles with Blood Orange Glaze

DON’T FORGET TO PIN AND SHARE THIS EASY CHERRY COFFEE CAKE RECIPE AND ADD IT TO YOUR NEXT WEEKLY MEAL PLAN!

Originally published on July 5th, 2018 and updated with additional text on March 18, 1019