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This homemade Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake made from scratch is bursting with sweet cherry flavor and tinted the perfect shade of pink from nothing other than the maraschino cherry juice from the jar! Chopped up maraschino cherries are folded into the batter to make sure the cherry flavor really comes through in this super fun, moist Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake that is perfect for almost any celebration!
I take my cake baking very seriously and work hard to give you recipes that deliver consistently delicious results. If you love making cake recipes from scratch, be sure not to miss my Best Red Velvet Cake, Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting, or Homemade German Chocolate Cake!
Today is House of Nash Eats blogiversary!! And what better way to celebrate than with a tall, beautiful, three-layer birthday cake?
Specifically, this homemade Cherry Chip Layer Cake made from scratch and topped with bright, beautiful maraschino cherries! Is it retro-modern? Is it vintage? Idk, but it's definitely delicious.
I can hardly believe it's been a year since I posted a delicious Blackberry Nectarine Crumble as my first post here on House of Nash Eats. Over the past year I have posted 128 recipes!
If you want to see them all, you can click on the "Recipes" tab at the top of this page, or just head to my recipe archives by clicking here.
My three most popular posts by page views to date have been my Oven Roasted Asparagus with Garlic, Parmesan, & Lemon, my Dark Chocolate Halloween Chip Cookies, and my Bombay House Style Chicken Tikka Masala.
If you haven't tried them yet, definitely check them out!
But let's talk more about this cake. This cake makes you time travel.
There is just something about the pretty pink chiffon color and maraschino cherries that make me think of frothy 1950's prom dresses or something. It fills me with nostalgia for times I don't even remember.
And you just can't eat a slice of this perfectly pink cake with lovely, fun cherry flavor and bits of maraschino cherry throughout and feel anything other than happy.
It makes you feel like a kid again and like you don't have a care in the world because you are eating cherry chip cake, of all things!
It's seriously bliss on a plate and I'm in love.
Better cake decorators than myself would have perfectly smooth sides and a top, but honestly, I'm kind of loving my less than perfect approach to the frosting here because to me, this looks totally doable. Because it is.
This is how I decorate most of my cakes, like my favorite Devil's Food Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Maybe one of these days I'll get some equipment like a rotating cake stand and offset spatula to help me with improve my technique, but for now I just use a butter knife to frost the top and sides and a random cake tip that is floating around in a drawer in my kitchen to create the little rosettes/swirls/whatever they around the top edge of the cake.
The gorgeous, bright maraschino cherries on top of the cake make up for a lot of my shortcoming when it comes to decorating anyway, I think.
I remember eating cherry chip cake from a Betty Crocker cake mix as a kid, although it seems like it was always overshadowed by the flashier Funfetti mix.
But I have to say that a boxed cherry chip cake has got nothing on this from scratch version. Each bite of this homemade vintage cherry chip layer cake bursts with sweet cherry flavor and is tinted the perfect shade of pink from the maraschino cherry juice from the jar.
Lots of chopped up maraschino cherries are folded into the batter to make sure the cherry flavor really comes through and I love the tiny bit of texture that they add to the super moist, perfect cake.
I made this vintage cherry chip layer cake for Clara's 5th birthday after receiving multiple requests from her for a cherry cake with jarred maraschino cherries and not fresh cherries or pie cherries (like in my Aunt Becky's Black Forest Cake).
After singing her the happy birthday song, Clara promptly blew out her candles and started plucking off every cherry from the top of the cake and popping them in her little mouth before I could even get the cake sliced! Fortunately all our guests that year were older cousins, grandparents, and other family members who were cool with that.
Cake Baking Tip: Alternating Wet and Dry Ingredients
Lots of cake recipes (this one included) have you to add the wet ingredients like eggs and milk or water or buttermilk and oil (um, basically anything wet) and dry ingredients (typically just the flour and leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder and salt) to the creamed butter and sugar in alternating batches, usually ⅓ to ½ of each at a time. Then you mix well between each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
And there's a good reason for this seemingly fussy extra task. Adding all the wet ingredients at once can make the batter to separate because it overwhelms the butter and sugar that you just creamed together.
And if you add all of the dry ingredients at once, your batter is likely going to be really thick and the chance that you will over mix the batter go way up, which ultimately results in a tougher cake without the moist, tender crumb that you want in a layer cake.
Instead of dumping all the wet and dry ingredients in at once, it's best to add them alternately, in two or three additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and stirring only until just combined each time.
To everyone who reads this blog of mine, I just want to say thank you for your support and encouragement during this first year of House of Nash Eats! I love hearing from you whenever you try a recipe I have posted or when you think of something I should post but haven't yet! I read every blog comment and Facebook or Instagram message and try to incorporate the feedback I am getting from you.
I am excited about all the great recipes I plan to bring you in the next year of House of Nash Eats and hope you continue to follow along! Now who's ready to make this vintage cherry chip layer cake?! XOXO, Amy
More Cake Recipes You'll Love
- San Jose Burnt Almond Cake
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Best Red Velvet Cake
- The BEST Homemade German Chocolate Cake
- Homemade Funfetti Cake From Scratch
- Key Lime Cupcakes
- Best Ever Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Sour Cream Pound Cake
- San Jose Burnt Almond Cake
- One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe
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Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup salted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 egg
- 4 egg whites
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup maraschino cherry juice
- ¾ cup chopped maraschino cherries
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups butter softened
- 1 ½ cups shortening
- 12 cups powdered sugar
- 5-6 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
- Additional maraschino cherries with stems for decorating
Instructions
Cake
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by lining the bottoms with circles of parchment paper and spraying the sides with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix well to combine.
- Add the egg and egg whites in two batches, scraping the sides of the bowl and mixing well between each addition.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the maraschino cherry juice and milk, starting with ⅓ of the dry ingredients, then adding half of the juice and milk, then repeating with another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, followed by the remaining juice and milk, and ending with the final ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Be sure to scrape the bowl between additions, and only mix just until everything is combined without overmixing.
- Stir in the chopped maraschino cherries.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, then bake for 24 to 26 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out with only a few crumbs.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, combine the butter and shortening and beat on medium speed until smooth.
- Add 4 cups of the powdered sugar and beat well until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of the maraschino cherry juice and beat again to completely incorporate.
- Repeat with another 4 cups of the powdered sugar, followed by 2 tablespoons of maraschino cherry juice, mixing well between additions.
- Add remaining 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth, adding an additional tablespoon of cherry juice, if necessary, to make a thick frosting that is just slightly sticky to the touch.
Assembly
- Level each cooled cake round by slicing off any domed tops.
- Place the bottom layer of cake on a cake plate and carefully spread 1 ½ cups of the frosting over it in an even layer. Repeat with the second layer of cake and another 1 ½ cups of frosting.
- Top with the remaining cake layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with most of the remaining frosting, reserving about 1 cup for piping onto the top of the cake. Decorate with extra maraschino cherries with stems, then slice and serve!
Michelle - Giraffes Can Bake says
Such a pretty cake! Looks delish too!
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says
This is such a lovely cake! Would be perfect for spring or summer parties!!
Karly says
This is PERFECTION! Loving the revival of an old fashioned favorite!
Megan says
Could this be cooked as cupcakes? The cake is amazing but way too much for me to eat alone. Cupcakes could be taken to work and shared. Thanks for the amazing recipes!
Amy says
I'm sure it could, although I have honestly never tried it. I would fill each cup 2/3 full and try baking them for about 18 minutes. Will have to try soon and let you know for sure, or if you do it, I would love it if you let me know how they turned out in cupcake form!
Gale Turner says
I made this recipe as cupcakes and it was awesome! Everyone loved it. The texture of the cake was perfect and the pink from the cherries was so pretty and delicate. Of course the recipe for the frosting was too much for cupcakes so this time i will half it and i did add a bit of almond extract. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Amy says
I'm so glad everybody loved this recipe made into cupcakes! I still haven't tried it that way but I'm thinking about it for Valentine's Day!
Laura says
Beautiful cake and what a great way to celebrate your bloversary. Actually I lake it better when it is not perfect, homemade cakes are much better than store bought so imperfection in look to me means perfection in taste. I will try this for my birthday.
Amy says
Thanks so much! I am with you on preferring "imperfect" homemade cakes to store bought ones!
Joyce says
I am sad to say I made this cake and it didn't turn out at all. Followed the recipe exactly.
Amy says
Oh no! I'm so sorry! I wonder what could have happened because I've made this lots of times and had others make it without any trouble! Do you think it was the frosting or the cake that was most problematic?
Jen says
How do you' store this cake?
Amy says
I just cover it loosely with plastic wrap and store it on the counter on a cake stand, unless I don't think it will all be eaten in a day or two, in which case I would store it in the fridge.
Theresa says
I just used this to make the big sized cupcakes and got 14 out of the batter. They turned out great! My coworker loves cherry chip but you can't find the mix anymore but he loved this recipe.
Amy says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Yes, cherry chip is classic and one of my favorites too but it can be hard to find, if they even still make it. But I would argue that homemade is better anyway. 🙂
B Taylor says
The cake recipe calls for "salted" butter - is this correct for a sweet cake? Just wondering if it meant to be written as "unslated". I am making this for my daughter's 18th birthday this weekend and want it to turn out perfectly!
Amy says
Actually, I really do think salted butter is the right choice for this cake because it doesn't call for any other salt in the recipe. Just a little bit of salt actually can bring out the sweetness of other ingredients. If you only have unsalted butter, you could absolutely use that - I would just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I hope your daughter has a wonderful birthday!
Marcela Gines says
JUST MAKE THIS CHERRY CHIP RECIPE INTO CUPCAKES...."WOW" AMAZING!!! 23 CUPCAKES AT 350* FOR 20 MIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE RECIPE....THIS IS A KEEPER!!!!
Amy says
I'm so glad you love this recipe! Cupcakes are a great idea and so much fun!
Marcela Gines says
SORRY MEANT....JUST MADE!
Cathy Wright says
Hi Amy just wondered if the cherry taste deepens in your Cherry chip cake recipe. I tasted the batter before baking but felt it seemed a very mild flavor of cherry.
Amy says
Hi Cathy! I would say that the flavor deepens a little bit as the cake cools, but much of that comes from the actual chopped cherries themselves. I think if you wanted an even more intense cherry flavor, you would have to look at reducing cherry sauce or looking for cherry extract or something to intensify the flavor. But let me know what you think once your cake is done!
Bunnie says
I am headed in to make this/halving the recipe...and I don't buy the heavy sugared jarred maraschinos : ) ...I have frozen and plan to simmer them a wee bit to extract some juice and dry back the moisture content. It won't be the same...as those jarred ones are simply divine. As a kid I could inhale them. Think I will need to up my golden coconut sugar measurement for the sweetener I will be missing not using the Maraschinos. And Amy, I wanted to write to encourage you to consider using Almond extract instead or pared with vanilla. Almond intensifies cherry flavor and I think it would really shine in this recipe. Worth a second look I assure you. Thanks for the recipe. Sorry my pantry contents and I are going to butcher such a beauty! But when it has good solid base such as yours there is room to tweak! : ) Sorry no stars yet...haven't made it.
Amy says
Thank you so much for your comment! Almond and cherry really do go beautifully together, don't they? I think your ideas sound great and would love to hear how yours turns out!
William says
Made this cake tonight and followed the recipe with no changes. We were very disappointed in the the flavor and texture of both the cake and the frosting. The cherry flavor really didn't seem to come through which is odd because it really smelled so good coming out of the oven. The frosting again seemed weak on flavor and you could really taste the powdered sugar and shortening. It does make a pretty cake when it is all done but flavor is always most important.
Amy says
I'm sorry this wasn't to your tastes but thanks for the feedback.
Kat says
Do you think it'd be fine if used only butter and no shortening in the frosting? I find that frostings with shortening leave a weird film in my mouth
Amy says
You could absolutely use butter. The main reason for using shortening is because it allows the cherry flavor to shine through a bit more than butter, but butter would definitely work if you don't like to use shortening. 🙂
Chris says
Looks, smells, and tastes beautiful! One problem though, I reduced the frosting recipe to 2/3 due to my limits of butter and shortening, and the frosting turned out so dry that it could barely take hold on the cake. What could I do to fix this?
Amy says
If the frosting is too dry, add more cherry juice, a little at a time, to get it to a consistency that you like. And if you run out of cherry juice, you can just use milk instead.
Sophia says
Hi Amy!
I am going to try this recipe for a wedding. Do you think it would yield a half sheet cake or a full sheet?
Can’t wait!
Amy says
I wish I could tell you for sure but I have never made this as a sheet cake before! My guess is a half sheet though. You could always do the half and use any extra for a few cupcakes!
Kristi says
Could I sub Cake Flour for AP, and would that make for a lighter crumb to the cake?
Amy says
I haven't tried it since I don't usually keep cake flour on hand, but I'm sure it would work. Let me know if you give it a go!
Candy says
Delicious recipe!
For anyone who's wondering, I substituted the flour with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour. Kept everything else the same except added a little almond extract because it's my fave. It all tastes delicious, but just comes out a little dense and heavy. I don't see this as a bad thing but if you like fluffy cake and you need it to be gluten free, don't use 1-to-1 or maybe find a way to alter the recipe a bit to get more rise.
Amy says
Thanks for the info! I've used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour before in cookies and bars with great results but haven't tried it in a cake yet. This is really helpful feedback and I'm glad you liked the cake!
Jackie says
How can I alter the recipe for 3 nine inch round pans? I still want the layers to be thick enough. Was thinking maybe double it and make the extras into cupcakes...
But if that’s the case then about how far up the cake pans should I pour the batter?
Amy says
I would just make 1 1/2 and divide evenly between the three pans. But if you want to have enough for cupcakes, I would say to fill the pans about 1/3 full.
Nicole says
I'm going to try making for the 50th birthday of someone who loves cherry but hates chunks. Do the chopped up cherries end up feeling chunky in the cake
TIA
Amy says
If you chop them fine, then they won't end up feeling chunky.
Nicole says
I haven't made yet but was wondering if you Can you make this as a Bundt cake
Amy says
I haven't tried it, but I'll bet it would work! I need to make more Bundt cakes - I don't have a single one on the blog yet!
Elisa says
I'm planning to make this cake this week. I use Kroger's clicklist to shop so can't see items in person. They have three different sized jars of cherries: 6 oz, 10 oz, and 16 oz. Only the 10 oz jar has cherries with stems. Would that be a large enough jar to get enough cherry juice and cherries for this recipe?
Amy says
I think it's enough for the recipe itself, but I'm guessing you will be shy on having enough cherries to decorate the top. But the upside is if you get an extra jar to make sure you have enough for decorating, they last in the fridge for ages and are great for sundaes!
Elena says
Wow the fat content 😒
HWatson says
It's a cake...what did you expect?!?!? LOLOLOL
Debbie Deraney says
Hi All, my e peri ended with chopped cherry is that they sink to bottom of the pan and aren’t really mixed through the cake. Is there any thing you can do to prevent this.
Amy says
If the cherries are sinking to the bottom of the pan, try chopping the cherries and draining them on paper towel, then tossing with a tablespoon of flour before adding to the batter.
Denise says
I tossed with flour, and that worked
Becky says
I am a cake baker and tried this recipe since I didn’t have buttermilk on hand for my usual recipe. I was extremely disappointed. It didn’t rise, it was dense and had no flavor at all. I made no substitutions. I had to toss the whole thing and head to my other recipe.
Melanie says
I completely agree with you experience! Mine was the same. Cake sank in the middle. Super dense. And the icing tasted like shortening and nothing else.
HWatson says
My cake recipes always have to be adjusted for elevation or they sink in the middle. I'd compare the ratios to your recipes that work and see what the differences are.
Lauren Smith says
I made this cake yesterday for a friend and it turned out amazing!!! I followed the recipe to the letter. The only thing is that I didn’t have salted butter so I simply added salt to the flour mixture. Turned out beautifully!!!!
Do you have any vanilla or chocolate cake recipes?
I am keeping this as my go to!!!!
Amy says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, I have a couple of chocolate cake recipes you might enjoy. You can find them all here in my cake archives! I haven't posted my vanilla cake recipe on it's own yet, but it's the cake I used in this post: https://houseofnasheats.com/day-of-the-dead-black-buttercream-cake/
Lauren says
Thank you!!!! I will try all of these!!!!!
Misha says
I would like to make this recipe in 6 in pans, so I'm wondering haw many cups does this recipe make. This recipe looks delicious!!
Amy says
I have never measured the batter itself so I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing it's around 6-7 cups?
Jes says
This cake is phenomenal! My husband’s coworker requested a cherry chip cake (never heard of it before this recipe) so I made this recipe and followed it exactly. I didn’t have 8” pans so I mixed up a recipe and a half and that was the perfect amount for the 9” pans. The cake was enormous, however that wasn’t a problem since it was very moist and flavorful and the entire cakes was eaten in the same day. Thank you for the recipe!
Brooke says
Hi! This is such a pretty cake! It sounds similar to my dad's favorite (black walnut cherry cake). Do you think I could add walnuts to your recipe?
Amy says
I have never tried adding walnuts to it and the only cake recipe I can think of with nuts in it that comes immediately to mind is carrot cake, but I think it would work.
Anna says
I made this cake last year for my nephew's 6th birthday. He said I had to make it again this year exactly like the last one. Everyone really enjoyed it and it was a beautiful cake. Thanks for the recipe.
Amy says
You are welcome, Anna! I'm so glad you liked it!
Chef Theresa Howell says
I'm going to try your recipe today with the addition of cherry liquor. I bake with a lot of different liquor s and they add another level of flavor to your cakes and it also help retain moisture and a lightness that is amazing. I will try to remember to update you with my results.
Janina Lyons says
Just ok. Won't make again.
Rachel says
I reduced this in half to make 16 cupcakes and was shocked how much everyone loved them! I make cupcakes all the time and these got some of the best responses I’ve ever had! I subbed coconut milk for regular milk.
Julie Kelton says
What changes would need to be made to turn this into cookies (which is what a relative used to make with the box cake mix)?
Amy says
Hmm, that's a great question! I've never made cookies from a cake mix before, but I'll have to experiment and see. My guess is to decrease the liquid to get a cookie dough consistency is the starting place.
Caitlyn says
Cherry chip is my mom's favorite but she's never had homemade before!! Her grandma and her mother were very much boxed cake eaters so im actually the first in my family to search out homemade cake and desserts! I actually went to culinary school for it 😊 My mother is an excellent cook but prefers not to bake. That being said I look forward to trying this recipe tomorrow!! I've read some reviews and will add almond extract to the cake (my mom loooves almond anything, and she loves any desserts I make with almond extract) and I will actually be making it into cupcakes because she prefers them over cake!! I will probably be using my favorite homemade buttercream flavored with the Maraschino cherry juice and decorated with the cherries 😊 thank you for posting your recipe!!
Amy says
You're welcome! I think the almond addition is a fantastic idea!
yujin says
Hi, I arrived at this site while searching for a free image of the cake.
I wonder if I can use the cherry cake image for graphics work.
Amy says
No, please don't use my images for graphics work. They are copyright protected.
Billy says
Are you supposed to beat the egg whites first? Didn't see that the recipe said that anywhere, but isn't that the way cakes are usually made?
My cakes out spongy and flat.
Amy says
No, the egg whites are not beaten first. Some bakers may take that approach with some cake recipes like angel food cake, but not for this cake recipe. That's too bad that yours came out flat. Is it possible you were using 9-inch pans instead of 8-inch?
Ann says
Hi, do I need to dry the chopped maraschino cherries in between paper towels before adding to the cake?
Amy says
No, I don't bother with that. There is already cherry juice in the batter for flavoring. The bigger issue is whether the cherry pieces will sink to the bottom of each cake layer. But I can't recall ever having had that be the case and I have never patted the chopped cherries dry between paper towels.
Sammie says
Such a pretty cake. I think that your cake decoration is beautiful especially topped with the maraschino cherries. I prefer to cook from scratch, although the occasional boxed mix can be really helpful. Lovely blog. Pinned !
Sunny says
I intended to made this cake for a retirement get together for an older gentleman. Thankfully I baked a test run and sad to say, It was not good. I’ve baked all types of desserts for more than 4 decades and I followed your recipe exactly. The result was dense and gummy and just inedible. Afterwards I looked at the recipe more critically and I have to say there is way too much “fat” content. The butter and sour cream add up to 1.5 cups, the sugar also adds up to 1.5 cups. The milk is also added fat content. Not a good ratio. I think the fat content should be 1 cup. Also, As a rule of thumb, it’s 1 tsp baking powder per cup of flour. This recipe has too much leavening. Which means the cake rises too high and then sinks. I’m honestly surprised that others have had success following this recipe as written.
Amy says
I'm sorry this didn't work out for you! But I wonder if your ingredients were cold. Because I've made this recipe many times and haven't had problems with it sinking and find it to be a wonderfully light cake!
HWatson says
Leavener actually needs to be adjusted for elevation. What works for you and what you're suggesting doesn't work for everyone. I have to adjust every single cake recipe for elevation by reducing leaveners by about 40%. The higher you are, the less you need but you also have to increase flour, reduce sugar etc... there's a science to it. Plus, one to one ratios for cakes is super common and allows you to write your own cake recipes. I've done this numerous times.
A cake can sink for a variety of reasons, not simply because of too much leavening. Mine sink if I put too much in, they can sink if they are mixed improperly etc... I also agree with her comment about the temperature of ingredients. Gummy cakes can often happen if your ingredients are not room temperature or overmixed.
It's just a fact that cakes are one of the more challenging things to make from scratch because there are so many variables to account for. You sort of have to know some of the basics like elevation too and this is virtually NEVER mentioned by bloggers or recipe writers because I honestly think they just don't know or they don't think about it.
Vicki Grice says
Did you tell us when to add butter sugar mixture to cake?
Amy says
Yes, actually everything gets added to the sugar and butter, which are creamed first before adding the vanilla, sour cream, and eggs. Then in step 4 is when the dry ingredients and cherry juice are added. So the bowl for the butter and sugar should be your biggest bowl because everything ends up getting added in there.
Ketra Smith says
Any suggestions on how to make this gluten free?
Amy says
I'm not a gluten-free baker, so take this with a grain of salt, but I've used Bob's Red Mill's 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour with really great results in the past!
Annabelle Lassalle says
In the Cherry Cake, are the egg whites to be whisked?
Amy says
No, they are just added as is. No need to beat them until foamy and fold them in for this recipe.
Marnee says
Made this cake today and I have to say it was a huge fail and I was very disappointed 😞 I followed the directions to the T but I think there is a flaw in the directions because you mix up the wet ingredients then it tells you to mix the dry in a separate bowl then it tells you to mix the cherry juice and milk in a separate bowl then add the cherry juice mixture to the dry 1/3 then 1/2 wet then 1/3 dry then wet then dry but does not mention the other wet ingredients hmmmmm anyway my cake came out dense heavy and not great sorry but an Epic fail 😞
Clare says
Just finished making this cake. It looks beautiful! I must admit I felt the recipe made a ton of frosting. I am also leery about using the shortening-but I tasted the frosting and it tastes like the type used at the local grocers on their cakes. Will probably make it again.
Marilynwolfe says
This cake sounds delicious.im going to make it.
Johna Sims says
I made this today. We generally never have dessert after lunch. But I couldn't wait to try it. It is delicious!
Brandi M. says
Want to make this for Valentines day...thinking of adding chocolate chips (chocolate covered cherries) into the cake batter....has anyone tried it?
Amy says
I was out of the country and didn't see this until after the holiday but I hope you tried it! I've heard from others who added white chocolate chips and loved it! I'm sure chocolate chips would work just as well!
Sara says
Love this! I added white chocolate chips and used butter flavor shortening in the icing and it was lovely! I did also add vanilla to the frosting.
Amy says
The white chocolate chips are a fantastic idea!
Kristin says
Thanks for the review, can’t wait to try it. What would you suggest for bake time on cupcakes?
Amy says
I would recommend sometime between 16-20 minutes for cupcakes.
JS says
Hi! I'm excited to make this but was hoping to make it Friday for a Monday occasion. Would it be ok in the fridge or better to try to wait?
Barb says
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I made this today for my husbands birthday when I couldn't find the cake mix I had. He says it ranks right up there with the favourite pineapple cake his grandma used to make him! The kids love it too so I'm going to have to print it and save it a milliin times to make sure I don't lose it!
Sandra says
How would you recommend I reduce the recipe for a two layer cake or a single layer sheet cake?
Amy says
I don't think I would mess around with adjusting the ingredient measurements for the smaller sizes. Instead, I would just use any extra batter to make cupcakes that can easily be frozen for a treat another day.
Sandi says
Do you ever separate your egg whites and beat them?
Adding them after your other wet ingredients?
Amy says
I have never beat the egg whites and then added them. I just add the egg whites with the one whole egg like just like with most other homemade cake recipes after the other wet ingredients.
Amy says
Can you use butter flavored shortening?
Amy says
Yes, absolutely.
AJ says
I tried and failed... Could you list measures in gms I tried converting cups into grams as per the standards.
Stacey Leick says
Made this today. Wowsa. Delish, beautiful.
Helen says
Hi, I am excited to try this recipe! I was wondering if you could substitute oil for the butter in the cake ingredients? If so, how much oil?
Thanks!!
Amy says
Yes, you can substitute an equal amount of oil for butter in this recipe.
Sarah Fisher says
I made this today for my 40th birthday. Better than the Betty Crocker mix. I I'm highly impressed with this recipe!!!!!
Amy says
I know my comment is late as I have gotten really behind with homeschooling during the shelter-in-place, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I was born in 1980 too and will celebrate my 40th later this year! So glad you loved this recipe!
deborah schwanger says
I'm so sorry but I was not a fan at all. Did not have much of a cherry flavor. If I choose to make this again I would definitely use grenadine and more of it for a much stronger flavor. The texture was amazing.
Lori and Elisabeth White says
Fantastic recipe! After reading some of the comments we were nervous. But my daughter and I followed the directions and created the tastiest and most beautifully pink cupcakes! We baked them for 20 minutes. We did add some almond extract as well as vanilla to the frosting and left out the shortening. Perfection!
Megan says
Hello! I am looking to make this for my dads birthday, however I only have 9 inch pans. Would this change anything too much?
Amy says
You might want to just do two thicker layers with 9" pans, or three thinner layers. Either way, just watch your bake time. Two thicker layers will take a bit longer than stated, while three thinner layers will bake a few minutes faster.
Ummj9y says
Will this make a small sheet cake or will i need to cut the recipe? I'm wanting to make it for my mom it's her absolute favorite cake! Thank you 🙂
Amy says
Hmm, I haven't tried this one as a sheet cake yet. I'm sure it will work but there might be extra batter. If so, I would just make a few cupcakes with whatever is leftover and throw them in the freezer to have on hand!
Caroline says
Afraid the cake would be too dense without whipping the egg whites separately, I did whip and added the egg whites only at the very end (after alternating dry and wet ingredients) and the result is fantastic : a moist and flavorful (you are right the cherry flavor sets in as the cake cools) and not spongy at all. Made it as cupcakes for myself for mother's day (!) and your estimate of 18 minutes 350 degrees was spot on. Yielded 24. We froze the extra (with icing on for which I replaced shortening by cream cheese - incredible!) and I just had another tonight. Thank you!
Jean Panyard Davis says
Loved it! Reminded me of a neighborhood bakery cake from when I was a kid. I made it as cupcakes to share. Good thing I did or I would have eaten the entire thing. This makes 30 standard cupcakes. Also I cut the frosting in half. So fun!
Dawn says
I’m not sure if anyone else had this problem but mine tasted like it had too much baking powder.
Christine says
This cake is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! My husband LOVES cherry chip cake and asked that I make one for him. I made it for this past weekend (when I knew I’d see a lot of family who would also enjoy it) and they all raved how good it was. Thanks again!
Sam says
Hi, I’m from the UK and would love make this cake. I have converted it to grams/oz but I find cups so confusing so I’m worried in case I haven’t converted it properly. Do you have this recipe converted at all. Thanks so much in advance. I cannot wait to make this cake. I’m making it for a 90th birthday party. Thanks Sam
Amy says
I'm sorry but I haven't converted this one yet. It's something I know I need to work on as I have quite a few readers in the UK who have asked on other recipes as well. It's on my to-do list!
Sarah S says
I made this cake with a cherry buttercream frosting over the weekend for my mother in law’s surprise 60th birthday party. She has mentioned in the past that she loved Cherry chip cake growing up and would request it for her birthday. I made both the 3 layer cake and 24 cupcakes (350 for 19 minutes) it all turned out perfect!!! Everyone at the party LOVED it! Thank you for such a fun and nostalgic recipe!
Tex says
Can I convert this recipe to a sheet cake? Making this for my sons birthday this weekend can’t wait till he try’s it!!!
Donna says
Hey. What size cake pans do I need? Also what is cups in grams? I’m in the UK 😃
Amy says
I used 8-inch cake pans for these layers. You can use 9-inch or 6-inch pans, although you will need to adjust your baking time accordingly. And I'm working on converting some of my more popular recipes like this to include grams as well as cups!
Katrina Lynn Matijczyk says
Imade this xake for my mther in law. She couldn't find the Betty Crocker box mix...why would she even TRY? I'm a baker...lol. I made this with cherry pie filling between the layers. Heaven! I bet she never buys the bix mix again!
Sarah says
Made this for my son’s 4th birthday party, and it was a huge hit. I added almond extract to the cake batter, instead of vanilla, for an extra cherry flavored punch. Great recipe!
Stefania says
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Amy says
Yes, absolutely!
Michele Ellis says
I have a question: do you beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, then add them - or are you just adding them straight out of the egg?
Amy says
I add them straight from the egg. I do not beat them separately first.
Jenn says
My 7 year old son wanted a cherry cake for his birthday. I found this recipe and made it. Very moist cake and very sweet! It is best in small slices, but definitely a treat!
Tonia Lotz says
Thank you for this recipe. My daughter LOVES cherry chip cake with cherry icing but has developed an allergy to red dye. I found cherries without red dye to make this recipe and she was so excited. It tastes better the second day!
Carrie says
Hi! I love cherry chip cakes! My mom made a box cherry chip every year for my birthday. I don’t do box cakes, as I enjoy making from scratch. I want to know how I could make this using three 6” pans instead of 8”. Thank you.
Amy says
I would start checking them around 20-22 minutes and see how they are doing.
Katelyn says
I tried this recipe today, the cake part of it. I used natural maraschino cherries and for whatever reason it would not turn pink for me. So that was a little bit of a bummer but it did end up tasting good.
Jan says
This was fabulous! My husband who doesn’t eat sweets often couldn’t keep away from it!
Judy Owens says
I made this cake and it was a hit!! So delicious.
Regina Nunley says
I made this cake for a ladies meeting at church and everyone liked it.
Linda says
This looks absolutely delicious, and I can't wait to try it. A three tiered frosted cake is a work of art, but for those of us who don't have 3 cake pans, is it possible to bake this in a 9 x 13 pan? If so, can you recommend a baking time?
Amy says
Yes, you can make this in a 9x13 pan! I would probably start checking it around 25 minutes, but it might take up to 40?
Maxine says
This was my favorite birthday cake request when I was a little girl. So happy to have found what I remember as Mom's "Cherry Dream Cake." It's been over 70 years and I can still picture it on the musical cake plate! Thank you Amy!
Amy says
I'm so glad you found it!
Eva Tatum says
Is there anyway I can make this cake in a 9×9 cake pan. And would i have to cut down on the ingredients to do so .
Amy says
Yes, I would only do half the recipe if you want to do one 9x9 cake pan.
Mary-Ellen says
Hello Amy ,
I made this cake last night and it turned out beautifully. It was lovely texture and easy cake to mix . I only gave 4 stars not 5 simply because I was confused and did not follow the icing recipe as the sugar quantity was super high. I was scared also because of the shortening in the icing never have used before in icing . I was also thinking that ratio of fats in icing ( 3 cups total ) seems super high. Ok I am just saying it freaked me out. I made my own icing and it was still tasty. I love the cake it was delicious and everyone loved it perfect for my Moms 74th birthday party so thank you so much I will make this again and again.
Valerie Varadi says
I made this for a coworker's birthday after searching the shelves for a boxed cherry chip cake mix and finding none. It was a huge hit. I made a 9x13 cake and a deep dish 8x8 cake (family was happy there was one for them to eat). They were perfect after 32 minutes bake time. I don't like cherries, but everyone at worked raved about it. It was 3/4 of the way gone by lunchtime! I did cut the frosting recipe in half since I wasn't layering it. I also sprinkled some cherry Jell-o powder in the frosting which everyone said was good.
Amy says
I like the cherry Jell-o powder idea! That's very creative!