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You have got to make this cherry chip cake for your next birthday party! This nostalgic layer cake is packed with maraschino cherry flavor thanks to maraschino cherry juice and chopped up cherries! This pink cake gives me all the nostalgic vibes, it’s perfect for any celebration!

a slice of cherry chip cake on a plate with the full cake behind it

This cherry chip cake is so vintage and retro, I can’t get over how fun it is! And since this maraschino cake is made completely from scratch, it’s even better than the boxed mix you probably had as a kid. 

If you haven’t had a cherry chip cake before, it’s a retro recipe that you could get as a box mix from Betty Crocker. It’s pink and packed with maraschino cherry flavor, thanks to finely chopped maraschino cherries!

Why You’ll Love This Cherry Chip Cake

  • This is the perfect nostalgic layer cake to make for birthday parties, bake sales, or any celebration! Who can say no to a slice of this cake?
  • You get tons of maraschino cherry flavor thanks to chopped maraschino cherries and maraschino cherry juice. 
  • It’s covered in pink frosting that gets a little flavor boost thanks to almond extract.

Ingredients Needed

cherry chip cake ingredients in small bowls
  • Butter: You can use regular butter or vegan butter.
  • Oil: Make sure to use a neutral oil that doesn’t have a strong taste or smell, like vegetable oil or canola oil.
  • Cornstarch: A little bit of cornstarch will make the cake layers extra soft.
  • Almond Extract: Don’t skip this out! It makes a huge difference to the flavor of the frosting. 
  • Maraschino Cherries: Make sure you really chop up those cherries small! Otherwise, they’ll sink to the bottom of the cake pan.

Step by Step Instructions

wet ingredients for a cherry chip cake in a mixing bowl with a handheld mixer above it

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Spray two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray and then line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Step 2: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and oil together until combined. Add the maraschino cherry juice, egg whites, and vanilla.

Step 3: Mix in the sugar.

chopped cherries being folded in to cake batter with a rubber spatula

Step 4: Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and cornstarch together in a separate bowl.

Step 5: Alternate adding the milk and dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Step 6: Fold in the finely chopped maraschino cherries.

cake batter in a mixing bowl with a rubber spatula

Step 7: Divide the cake batter evenly and bake for 26-34 minutes. 

Step 8: Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

pink frosting in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment

Step 9: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter with the vanilla, almond extract, maraschino cherry juice, salt, and ¼ cup of icing sugar.

Step 10: Add in ¼ cup of powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thick, add ½ tablespoon of milk at a time. If it’s too thin, add in more powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time. 

Step 11: Once the cakes are cool, frost and enjoy!

Making This Cherry Chip Cake Dairy-Free

As a dairy-free recipe developer, I, of course, made sure this recipe could be made with regular dairy ingredients and dairy-free ingredients! There are a few simple swaps you can make to make this cherry chip cake dairy-free.

Swap out the butter in both the cake and the frosting for vegan butter, and make sure to use dairy-free milk. That’s it! I promise, it’ll taste like the real deal.

cherry chip cake adorned with maraschino cherries with three slices cut into it

Expert Tips

  • I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your flour! It’s so easy to add too much flour if you’re using measuring cups, which will make your cake dry and dense. 
  • Don’t have a kitchen scale? Then make sure to use the scoop and level method to weigh out your flour! 
  • You can also use two 9-inch cake pans if you don’t have 8-inch pans. Just shorten the baking time by a few minutes. 
  • If you’re using natural maraschino cherries that aren’t bright red, the cake and frosting won’t be pink. I recommend adding a few drops of pink food gel if you want the cake to come out the same color as mine!
  • Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before you even think about frosting them. Warm cake and frosting are not a good combination.
  • I decorated my cake with even more maraschino cherries for that vintage look!

Storage Instructions

Cover the cake and store at room temperature for 3-4 days. 

To freeze the cake layers, let them cool completely and then tightly wrap each one in parchment paper and then foil. Freeze in ziploc bags for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature.

You can freeze any leftover buttercream in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and then re-whip with a hand mixer or stand mixer before using.

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

a slice of cherry chip cake on a plate with the full cake behind it
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Cherry Chip Cake

Gabby Kislanko
You have got to make this cherry chip cake for your next birthday party! This nostalgic layer cake is packed with maraschino cherry flavor thanks to maraschino cherry juice and chopped up cherries! This pink cake gives me all the nostalgic vibes, it’s perfect for any celebration!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 14 slices
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Ingredients
 

Cherry Chip Cake

  • ½ cup (105 g) butter, softened, (regular or dairy free)
  • ½ cup (108 ml) oil (canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or sunflower oil)
  • 3 egg whites
  • ½ cup (132 ml) maraschino cherry juice from the jar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar
  • 2⅓ cup (292 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (25 g) cornstarch
  • 2½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (250 ml) milk of choice, (regular or dairy free)
  • ¾ cup (135 g) maraschino cherries, chopped very small, SEE NOTES

Cherry Buttercream

  • 1½ cup (315 g) butter, softened, (regular or dairy free)
  • 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 3-3½ cups (330 g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
  • 1 Tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two 8 inch round cake pans. Spray the inside with cooking spray, then cut out pieces of parchment paper so that they fit in the bottom of each pan (do not skip this step!). Set the pans aside.
  • Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and oil together until combined. Add in the maraschino cherry juice, egg whites, and vanilla extract.
  • Mix in the granulated sugar.
  • Add in flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder to a separate bowl and whisk together.
  • Alternate slowly adding in the milk and the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
  • Fold in the chopped maraschino cherries (make sure they are chopped very small), until they are evenly distributed in the batter.
  • Divide the cake batter between the two cake pans and bake for 26-34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
  • Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove them from the pan (by running a butter knife or offset spatula around the edges and then flipping the cake upside down onto a cooling rack). While the cakes cool, make the buttercream.

Cherry Buttercream

  • In the bowl of a standing mixer or handheld mixer, beat butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, maraschino cherry juice, salt, and ¼ cup of icing sugar. 
  • Slowly add in ¼ cup of powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If the buttercream is too thick, you can add ½ tablespoon of milk in at a time, thinning it out as much as you'd like. If buttercream is too thin, add in more powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time.
  • Once the cakes have cooled completely, frost and decorate as desired. Enjoy!

Equipment

8 inch round cake pans
2 8 inch round cake pans
Mixing Bowl

Video

Notes

Please Note: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. Metric measurements are found above under the “Metric” tab.
Parchment Lining: I highly recommend lining your cake pans with parchment paper. It’s an easy way to avoid the cake breaking when you try to remove it from the pan. To do this, trace then cut a circle in the shape of your cake pan out of the parchment paper and place it inside the pans.
Measuring Flour: Either measure your flour using a kitchen scale or use the proper scoop and level method.
Cake Pan Size: This recipe can also be made with two 9 inch round cake pans. Shorten the baking time by a few minutes.
Maraschino Cherries: Note that if you use natural maraschino cherries (without artificial color in them), the cake will not be pink. If you want it to be pink anyway, you could add a few drops of red food coloring to the cake batter or frosting.
Storage and Freezing Instructions:
The cake can be stored covered at room temperature for 3-4 days. 
You can also freeze the cake layers if you want to make this cake ahead of time. Let them cool completely, then tightly wrap each individual cake layer in parchment paper, then aluminium foil. Freeze in ziploc bags for up to 3 months, then let them thaw at room temperature.
You can store leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge then re-whip it using a handheld or standing mixer before frosting the cakes.
 
Calories: 563kcal, Carbohydrates: 73g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Sodium: 487mg, Potassium: 61mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 53g, Vitamin A: 1239IU, Calcium: 75mg, Iron: 1mg
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The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

Photography by: Kelly at Bake & Bacon