Cherry Chip Cake

5 from 5 votes
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This cherry chip cake is a delicious, semi-homemade cake with an easy cherry buttercream frosting. Chopped maraschino cherries are incorporated into the batter sweetened with a splash of cherry juice to add beautiful color and flavor to this lovely pink cake.

Piece of cake with a cherry on top.


 

I love taking a boxed cake mix and making it better with just a few extra ingredients like apricot nectar cake, coffee cake and this maraschino cherry cake using cake mix.

My mom would use the Betty Crocker cherry chip cake mix to make us amazing cakes growing up. It’s always been one of my favorites. I haven’t been able to find the boxed cherry chip mix lately so I decided to make my own.

Ingredients needed

Cake mix – You can use white or yellow box cake mix. White cake mix will give you a pinker color cake.

Maraschino cherries – These will be chopped up and used in the batter and also the juice will be used for the cake and frosting.

Sour cream – Used to add moisture to the cake.

Eggs – Use 4 eggs for this recipe. Along with the sour cream, it helps make the cake mix taste more like from scratch.

Vegetable oil – You can substitute with canola oil.

Almond extract – This really gives you that cherry chip flavor but feel free to substitute with vanilla extract.

Butter – Unsalted, sweet cream butter.

Powdered sugar – Used for the simple cherry frosting.

Powdered sugar, oil, cherries, cake mix, butter, almond extract.

How to make cherry chip cake

  1. Batter: Use an electric mixer and blend together vegetable oil, eggs, sour cream, cherry juice, and almond extract. Blend in cake mix until combined. Fold in chopped cherries.
  2. Bake: Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  3. Frosting: Mix together softened butter, salt, cherry juice and powdered sugar until frosting is made. Spread over cooled cake and top with extra cherries. ***Tip: If your frosting is too thick, add an extra teaspoon of cherry juice, if too thin, add 3-4 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Bowl with eggs, pink batter and chopped cherries.

Recipe tips

  • I recommend buying 2 jars of cherries so that you have enough to decorate the top of the cake.
  • Add a chocolate twist by adding 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the batter. Toss the mini chocolate chips in with a tablespoon of cake mix before adding to batter to help prevent sinking.
  • Make sure to let the cake completely cool before frosting. If you try to spread it on while warm, the frosting will melt.
  • Make sure that butter is softened to make the frosting and if you would like an extra pink color frosting, add 1-2 drops of red food coloring.

How to store

Store: Cover the cake pan with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze: To freeze, place the cake in the freezer for an hour. Remove and wrap with plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for 2-3 months. When ready to easy, remove from freezer and let thaw at room temperature.

Cherry cake in baking pan.

More easy cake recipes

If you made this cake recipe please feel free to leave a comment below.

Piece of cake on plate with cherry frosting and cherry on top.
5 from 5 votes

Cherry Chip Cake

By Heather
Easy cherry chip cake
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients 

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 20 maraschino cherries, chopped

Frosting

  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 4-5 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Using an electric mixer, combine eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, cherry juice and almond extract.
  • Blend in cake mixture until combined. Stir in chopped cherries.
  • Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let cake cool.

Frosting

  • Mix together softened butter, cherry juice, salt and powdered sugar.
  • Once cake has cooled, spread frosting on top, slice and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 69mg | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 671IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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10 Comments

  1. I made this cake last week for the Super Bowl. Everyone loved it!! Espically me. I put in some mini chocolate chips. So it being my 60th birthday tomorrow, I have decided to make this cake again for myself(I guess I’ll share with my family) thanks for sharing this great recipe!

  2. What is a “baking dish”? You mean a cake pan? And is the standard service size for a 9×13” cake pan the version that says x1?

  3. Made this cake for my wife and both mother in laws. Turned out perfect it was a big hit, than you for sharing.

  4. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for this copycat recipe. I was craving cherry chip cake and couldn’t find the mix anywhere in my area. My sister and I both thought it tasted just like the boxed mix from our childhood (in the best way)! The sour cream and chopped maraschino cherries take it up a notch from the original.