Cherry Cake with Cherry Frosting

If you love cherry flavored everything, this cherry cake is definitely a must try. It’s one of my favorite doctored cake mix recipes and a great way to use your homemade cherry pie filling.

 

Why this recipe works

While I truly do love to bake from scratch, some occasions call for shortcuts. Holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are great examples. There’s lots to do on those days, so don’t spend all of your time in the kitchen.

I love cherries. Whether it’s eating them from the produce bag or baking up cherry hand pies that remind me of Hostess, I’m all over it.

RELATED: you might also like these recipes – Strawberry Cake and Pistachio Cake

And of course, there are only 6 ingredients, making this recipe easy to make because you likely have most items in your pantry already.

Expert Tips & FAQs

• You do not need the ingredients listed on the back of the cake mix box. Use the ingredients listed in this recipe.
• Soften the cream cheese and butter, but don’t let it get warm, just take the chill off. This takes about 20-30 minutes on the counter. It helps to cut the cream cheese and butter into smaller sections first.
• When adding the powdered sugar, if you are using a stand mixer, you can cover the top with a kitchen towel to help keep the powdered sugar from flying out of the bowl. If you are using a hand mixer, add the powdered sugar very slowly, or you can even stir it in with a wooden spoon and then beat it with the mixer until creamy.

Ingredients you will need for the cake

As I mentioned above, you’ll need a box of white cake mix, but please do not refer to the back of the box for the ingredients. Only use the ingredients listed in the printable version down below. 

Ingredients you will need for the frosting

If you prefer, you can just use a canned white frosting or whatever your favorite is, but I love this cake with my cherry cream cheese frosting!

How to Make Cherry Cake with Cherry Frosting

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray or lightly grease 13×9 baking pan.
2. Measure 1/3 cup of cherry pie filling and set aside to use in frosting. (see below)
3. With a mixer on low speed, combine dry cake mix, eggs, baking powder, both extracts, and remaining cherry pie filling until combined.
4. Increase speed to medium and beat until creamy, a minute or so.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan, and level with a spatula.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Making the Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

1. With a mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy.
2. Turn mixer to low and add in the cherry pie filling and both extracts.
3. Once combined, beat on medium for a minute or two until cherries are broken into small pieces.
4. Turn mixer down to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until completely combined and of spreading consistency. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
5. Frost the cake. If the calorie count listed below is important to you, cut into 24 pieces. Otherwise cut however you like!

This cherry cake has a marvelous cherry and almond flavor that everyone will love! I think it would be equally delicious if you added chocolate chips, or better yet, bittersweet chocolate chunks to the cake and topped it with a chocolate ganache. 

More Cherry Recipes

• Cherry Cheesecake
• Crockpot Chocolate Cherry Cobbler
• Maraschino Cherry Bundt Cake
• 3-Ingredient Cherry Cupcakes
• Cherry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cherry Pie Bars
• Cherry Pie

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6-Ingredient Cherry Cake

This cherry cake is so easy to make, and only requires a few ingredients. This recipe comes complete with a simple cherry cream cheese frosting.

4.96 from 123 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24 pieces

55 minutes mins

Calories: 249

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 15 ounce white cake mix you do not need the ingredients listed on the box
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 21 ounce cherry pie filling

Frosting

• ▢ 16 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ ⅓ cup cherry pie filling from the can listed above
• ▢ 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Garnish

• ▢ Maraschino cherries with stems

Before You Begin

• You do not need the ingredients listed on the back of the cake mix box. Use the ingredients listed in this recipe.
• Soften the cream cheese and butter, but don’t let it get warm, just take the chill off. This takes about 20-30 minutes on the counter. It helps to cut the cream cheese and butter into smaller sections first.
• When adding the powdered sugar, if you are using a stand mixer, you can cover the top with a kitchen towel to help keep the powdered sugar from flying out of the bowl. If you are using a hand mixer, add the powdered sugar very slowly, or you can even stir it in with a wooden spoon and then beat it with the mixer until creamy.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray or lightly grease 13 x 9 baking pan.
• Measure 1/3 cup of cherry pie filling and set aside to use in frosting. (see below)
• With a mixer on low speed, combine dry cake mix, eggs, baking powder, both extracts, and remaining cherry pie filling until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until creamy, a minute or so.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and level with a spatula.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

• With a mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. 
• Turn mixer to low and add in the cherry pie filling and extracts. Once combined, beat on medium for a minute or two until cherries are broken into small pieces.
• Turn mixer down to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until completely combined and of spreading consistency. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Garnish

• It's optional but pretty! Add a stemmed maraschino cherry to the top of each slice when you serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 249cal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 452IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg

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This recipe was adapted from Sweetheart Cherry Cake and was originally posted here February 15, 2011 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.