Cherry Almond Cake

Name: Cherry Almond Cake
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 2 d 12 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 8 ounces frozen cherries, thawed; 2 1/4 cups/252 grams almond flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal); 8 tablespoons/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature; 3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar, divided; 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; 1/2 teaspoon almond extract; 4 large eggs, separated; Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated Oct. 11, 2023

Cherry Almond Cake — Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Mariana Velasquez.

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Prep Time: 1 hour, includes thawing
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Rating: 4(374)
Comments: Read comments

Using frozen fruit is a great way to bring some summer sunshine to your baking all year round. It’s dependably sweet, delicious and usually affordable. Frozen fruit does tend to let off a lot juice, so it’s a good idea to thaw it first and let some of the liquid drain before adding it in. If you don’t have time to thaw your fruit, you can still bake this cake, but the fruit will sink to the bottom. Cherry and almond are a classic combination, but wild blueberries or chopped peaches would work, too. This naturally gluten-free cake is made with almond flour, which has the potential to make it dense. But whipped egg whites folded into the batter ensure that the cake is light and fluffy, despite being made almost entirely of nuts.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

8ounces frozen cherries, thawed
2¼cups/252 grams almond flour
2teaspoons baking powder
½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
8tablespoons/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar, divided
1teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
½teaspoon almond extract
4large eggs, separated
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides. Pour off any excess liquid from the cherries and quarter them.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer, in another medium bowl, beat butter and ½ cup of the granulated sugar until fluffy and well combined, about 3 minutes. Beat in the lemon zest and almond extract. Add egg yolks and beat to combine. Add almond flour mixture to butter mixture and beat to combine.
Step 3
In a clean bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until foamy and lighter in color, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff, shiny peaks appear, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
Mix a scoop of the egg white mixture into the almond flour mixture to loosen it. Add the remaining egg whites to the almond flour mixture and fold them in by gently scooping up some batter from the bottom and folding it over the whites on the top. Rotate the bowl and repeat until just incorporated. (The batter is thick so this will take a bit of effort.) Transfer the batter to the baking pan and smooth the top. Top evenly with the cherries.
Step 5
Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then use the parchment to lift the cake out of the pan and onto a rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar to serve. Store leftovers in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Ratings

4 out of 5

374 user ratings

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Comments

Jane from Alameda2 years ago

Could someone please explain why recipes like this one call for the pan to be "buttered" and then lined with parchment paper? The butter, which is somewhat expensive and kind of a pain to rub evenly in the pan, is not going to flavor the cake through the parchment. Why not use cooking spray, cheaper and much easier to apply? Or am I missing something?

Sandy2 years ago

I don’t think you’re missing anything, @Jane from Alameda. It seems to me that the point of buttering the pan before lining it is so that the parchment (but not the cake) will cling to the pan. I think only a little smear of butter should accomplish this, but surely a little oil would do as well, if you wanted to save the butter for where its taste matters.

MM2 years ago

Made according to the instructions, with the following mods: 1 tsp almond extract (doubled from recipe) 1 Tbsp lemon zest Used fresh cherries, but didn’t have the full amount (only 4-5 oz) and dotted with ~ 5 Tbsp lemon curd Added slivered almonds around the outside Baked 50 mins in a 9” springform pan (bottom lined with parchment) Delicious. Five stars and will make again!

Wendy1 week ago

I did not have almond flour so I ground up whole almonds instead. Plus I used fresh tart cherries. Tasted sooo good!

coolgreymatter2 weeks ago

Just finished making this and, while we haven't cut into it yet, it looks fabulous. I followed the recipe exactly---except I used fresh cherries and baked in a 10" round tart pan (with removeable bottom). The cherries sunk, just like folks said they would. So I flipped the thing onto a large plate, removed the parchment paper, and left it that way---upside-down---so now we can see the cherries.

Katya4 weeks ago

Can I do this without sugar and any sugar substitutes? Thank you!

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