Cherry Pound Cake
My grandmother always made this creamy cake for Christmas morning. It's so pretty and tastes wonderful! Now that Nana is gone, I'm continuing the tradition.
My grandmother always made this creamy cake for Christmas morning. It's so pretty and tastes wonderful! Now that Nana is gone, I'm continuing the tradition.
I have the same recipe and make it at Christmas every year. My ingredients for this recipe is the same but my method is a bit different. The night before, I pace the cherries in a seive over a bowl to drain throughly so they are dry (so that they don't bleed into the cake and make it pink.) I sometimes use more cherries then asked for as I love cherries. Keep the juice so that you can make a glaze with icing sugar & almond extract. I spread about one-third on the bottom of a bundt pan ( Bundt pan sprinkled with red sugar)I then arrange one-third of the cherries evenly on the batter, then repeat with two more layers of batter followed by cherries; spreading evenly with spatula. Bake for 60 minutes. Drizzle glaze over top. For an added touch, sift icing sugar over the top as well. Yummy.Very presentable!
Read MoreI served this at a bridal shower and received rave reviews. Personally though I was very underwhelmed with it. If I were to make this again I would double the amount of cherries, add some of the cherry juice to the batter to make it pink, and had a glaze/frosting to the finished cake.
Read MoreI have the same recipe and make it at Christmas every year. My ingredients for this recipe is the same but my method is a bit different. The night before, I pace the cherries in a seive over a bowl to drain throughly so they are dry (so that they don't bleed into the cake and make it pink.) I sometimes use more cherries then asked for as I love cherries. Keep the juice so that you can make a glaze with icing sugar & almond extract. I spread about one-third on the bottom of a bundt pan ( Bundt pan sprinkled with red sugar)I then arrange one-third of the cherries evenly on the batter, then repeat with two more layers of batter followed by cherries; spreading evenly with spatula. Bake for 60 minutes. Drizzle glaze over top. For an added touch, sift icing sugar over the top as well. Yummy.Very presentable!
Just a perfect little cake--moist, tender crumb, with just the right amount of cherries--any more than what the recipe called for would have been overkill. This fit perfectly in one of the smaller, specialty Bundt pans and made a really beautiful presentation glazed with a mixture of reserved cherry juice and powdered sugar and just a light sprinkling of white jimmies. I found, however, that I had to bake it for a much shorter time, so I would suggest checking it after 50-55 minutes so as not to overbake--this may be the reason for the dryness some reviewers mentioned.
I loved this cake! The only thing I changed was to use almond extract in place of the vanilla. It only took an hour, and it was moist and delicious! I also made the glaze as suggested in another review using the cherry juice and icing sugar, and more almond extract. Everyone at work who tried it loved it! This recipe will definitely be added to my annual Xmas baking! ***Edit: I also tried this recipe using Splenda and it did not turn out well - the consistency of the dough was different, and it did not rise well at all, which affected the end product. It came out very heavy and didn't have a very good texture. I ended up throwing out almost all of it. Next time I make it I'll definitely stick with the sugar!
Awesome cake!! I, in an atypical fashion, didn't change the recipe a bit, and it turned out wonderfully. Dredging the cherries in the flour made them hold their color and shape, thus making nice, juicy, plump bites of cherry, and a cake that stayed a creamy white, and didn't bleed pink. I did find, however, that it took less time to cook than stated in the recipe. You might want to start checking for doneness sooner than the 80 minutes (mine took about an hour to cook). I cubed this cake after cooling it and used it with a dessert fondue. De-lish!!!! Thanks for the yummy recipe, Holly! :)
Wonderful! I took the advice of other posters and added more cherries. I decorated with a glaze made from reserved cherry juice, powdered sugar, & almond extract. I made this 2 days ago and it is still moist. I cooked it in a bundt pan for only 50 minutes.
I made this cake for Father's Day, and it tasted sooooo good! It was creamy and fluffly, and even though it's a little bit fattening......it is worth it!
Good and pretty cake. I didn't have maraschino cherries, so I used candied ones.
Really really good cake, I've been baking this recipe for years. You know, it's really nice to sprinkle some chopped pecans on the bottom of the greased pan before you add the cake mixture, the pecans show on the top of the cake and makes it extra special, especially at Christmas time.
Very good pound cake with a splash of the color red. I let the cherries drain very well, before dredging in flour. So I had creamy pound cake with just spots of cherries. The taste is great.
Excellent recipe! I have made this cake twice in less than a week and although I've been known to tweek the ingredients, I had no need to with this recipe. Okay, the only thing I did change the second time I made it, was to add lots and lots of cherries! I use glazed whole cherries - better cherry flavour and they don't discolour the batter. For me, the recipe made two loaves. I absolutely love it and am so happy to have found a delicious pound cake FINALLY!
I made this for Christmas and it is absolutely the best tasting cake! It is easy to make and DELICIOUS! A couple of slight derivations: I baked it for 60 minutes, which was PERFECT; also, I bit the bullet and purchased the BIG marischino cherries - it was so worth it! I also added powdered sugar sifted on the top of the cake when cooled. It WILL be a cake that I will regularly make!
Nice texture and flavour to this cake (not dry as others stated). I made them into cupcakes (baked about 30 minutes) as I was taking them into the office for a staff treat. I did use candied cherries as I had some leftover from making shortbread cookies. Because of using the candied cherries, I scaled the sugar back to one cup from 1 1/2 cups. Good thing I did as I don't like a pound cake that is overly sweet and this was just perfect. I used an almond icing glaze on the cupcakes and topped with chopped cherry bits. Festive for the Christmas Season, definitely a keeper!
I made this for the first time to serve to guests of Ronald McDonald House for Christmas. I made a double batch and every piece was gone. I used a 10oz. jar of cherries for each cake, drained overnight, dredged in flour, and added whole into the batter. I thought the mixer would crush them up but was pleasantly surprised that they remained whole. It was so pretty when cut to see entire cherries cut through each slice. I even made a quick icing of powdered sugar, cherry juice, milk, and vanilla and then drizzled it over the top and put the rest in a squeeze bottle. Everyone loved it. I am making this again!
Yummy moist pound cake. I added canned cherries (not pie filling, just cherries) and almond extract. Then, I made a simple powdered sugar, almond extract and milk glaze to pour over the top after it cooled. I got rave reviews. However, it only needs to be baked for about an hour, maybe less, not the 80 minutes claimed. ...I just made it again. I think 45 minutes is plenty.
Pretty good, but never turns out as white and fluffy as in the photos. First time I made it, ended up overbaking when I followed the directions & went 80 min--didn't burn it, but the cake was light brown in color; tasted ok, but had to throw most of it out, since it was unpresentable. Tried it a second time, figuring my oven was hot; lowered temp to 310 and cooked for less than 60 min--this was more than enough time in my oven! Was sort of a yellower version of that pictured. Very delicious; not really like the dense pound cake sold in stores, but a light and rich cake that was well appreciated by everyone at work nonetheless. I pitted and added fresh cherries in addition to the marascinos from a can, and it was quite colorful. Tasted great with whipped cream on top, and hot cocoa on the side.
Delicious, BUT ... do not serve it the same day it is made! Once cool, wrap well and let it sit for at least 24 hours. (Longer is probably better, but it didn't last long enough to find out!) It was dry after first cooling, but got moister after wrapping it for a day. I did bake it for 80 minutes, as directed, but would probably start checking at 60 minutes next time. Nice, subtle, classic pound cake flavor, and the cherries are a great addition. As some have suggested, I may increase them if making this again. I topped it simply, with sifted confectioner's sugar.
I served this at a bridal shower and received rave reviews. Personally though I was very underwhelmed with it. If I were to make this again I would double the amount of cherries, add some of the cherry juice to the batter to make it pink, and had a glaze/frosting to the finished cake.
This is one delicious cake! I've made it twice, the most recent for one of my Bible Study members as a birthday cake. The original recipe only states an 8-inch tube pan, so I decided to experiment. I made 1 1/2 recipes, and it fit into my full-size Bundt pan just beautifully. Based on some of the other reviews, I decided to up the amount of cherries--I used two jars--a 16-oz and a 10-oz. In addition, I used 1 cup of cake flour with 2 cups of all-purpose. This made a lighter, more tender cake. I also added close to 2 T. almond extract, since the honoree loves almond. Sifting the flour also helps. I used reduced-fat cream cheese, and about 2 2/3 sticks butter. I made a simple powdered sugar glaze, with the juice from the cherries, and some almond extract. Everyone loved it. This is a definite keeper!
I wish I could give this cake more than 5 stars. It is fantastic! I used light cream cheese and used lemon extract instead of the almond extract. I made a glaze with the cherry juice and icing sugar and drizzled it on while the cake was still warm. I can't wait to make it again!
Out of this world!! This is so good, cant say enough about it. I quartered the cherries to make them go farther. You also need to heap the salt in order to balance the taste. This was a birthday cake and I had to pair it with icing so I could decorate. I used the White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting from this site. outstanding!!
I made this recipe exactly as directed except I cooked it in mini loaf pans for 45 minutes. It was delicious, next time I may sub the vanilla extract with almond as suggested by others as I would have appreciated more almond flavor!
I tried this recipe for the 4th of July! My family went crazy over it. It will definitely become one of our "Family Favorites," not to mention it's beautiful!
Good tasting, but slightly drier than I expected especially with the cream cheese and butter. I will try again. Also it has baking powder that means its really not a pound cake?!
First time I made this, I dredged the cherries completely as instructed. I didn't care for that too much - the cake was delicious, but I thought I'd actually prefer a little cherry flavor in the cake. The second time, I doubled the cherries and didn't dredge so much or long, and it was perfect for me! I love this cake and will make it for special occasions again and again!
Yummy recipe!Fluffy,creamy,delicious!!!I used candied cherries,only vanilla extract(I think almond dominates the flavor)and baked for 60 min.One of the best cakes I've ever eaten.Definitely a keeper.
This had good flavor and texture. I also doubled the cherries and made a glaze with the cherry juice. I think adding chopped nuts would be a nice addition to this cake. Thanks Holly for sharing your recipe.
I added fresh cherries,very moist and good flavor.Ithink any fruit might be good in this pound cake.My husband loved it.
Excellent! nice and moist, and good crumb. I did add a bit more almond flavoring, and I followed cookies suggestion regarding the layering of batter and cherries. It ensures a more even distribution of the cherries. I used my bundt pan, and finished it off with a thin glaze. Thanks for posting a great rercipe.
This is a very good cake and very festive-looking for the holidays. I made the glaze as suggested by many reviewers but I would actually just do a dusting of powdered sugar next time. I'll definitely make this again!
*Edit: After having made this cake several times in a tropical environment, I realize heat and humidity play a huge factor to the resulting texture. Going forward, I'll double the original recipe as it really helps insulate the ingredients better against the surrounding temperature. It's a lot of cake but it'll all be worth it! I halve the sugar every time I made this cake without any negative effect aside from reducing the sweetness. Previously, based on the original recipe, I reduced the baking powder to 2tsps and the cake turned out to be a denser but very moist cake, almost like a steamed cake in texture. I also doubled the amount of cherries and used fresh pitted cherries with great success. Fresh blueberries also work and adding some streusel on top makes it even more delicious!
This is my first review. I enjoyed this cake so much that I felt compelled to rate it. It was very easy to make. I used 2 jars of cherries as suggested. When done, I made a glaze of cherry juice and powdered sugar to put on top. I also put walnuts on the bottom of the bundt pan. These made such a nice addition to an already tasty cake. This will be a keeper that we will use every year.
Made this as my contribution for Thanksgiving dinner. I'm an alien and don't like pumpkin pie. I later made it for my dad's birthday, he loves cherries. Was delicious both times.
Best pound cake ever!!! Didn't change a thing. I used the Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting by Lilster on this website. Goes really well together.
I made this cherry pound cake this afternoon and it turned out perfect, excellent very moist the best cake I ever made !!!
I love this cake. Have made it for the past several Christmases and it never lasts long. I don't always use solely maraschino cherries, but will use canned/jarred cherries (without syrup) on occasion. They aren't quite as pretty, but I prefer the flavor to the maraschino. Usually I mix the two and will add more cherries than the recipe calls for.
Yummy in my tummy this was such a good cake! I made this for my mom's birthday and she loved. It was so moist and so good. I could eat this cake every day and it would still would be great!
This cake is delicious with just the right amount of cherry flavor. I made this around the holidays, tinted the batter green and used a specialty bundt pan that was evergreen trees. I glazed it with powdered sugar icing and it looked gorgeous.
I gave it four stars because as written it likely would be very dry without enough cherries. I only baked it 60 minutes, and it was perfectly done. My oven is new and spot on temperature. I took the advise of other reviewers and doubled the cherries. With those minor changes, this is at least 5 stars. Divine.
The overpowering taste of baking soda was a huge turn off. I gave this 3 stars because it has great potential but not with that much soda and that long of baking time.
Fantastic! Don't be shy with the cherries. A huge hit every time.
I love this bread!! Made it for the holidays...very easy n enjoyable!!!
I really liked the taste of this pound cake, but I thought it was a little dry. I probably will not try it again. It wasn't popular with my family, but it was very pretty.
I needed a cake for a dinner I was attending and this recipe was a hit!! I didnt have cherries which I guess defeats the purpose of this recipe so I used coconut instead. I added about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of both sweetened and unsweetened coconut, switched the vanilla for almond extract and creamed the life out of the butter, cream cheese and sugar. It was absolutely amazing!!! Instead of the glaze I made a white icing and topped it off with toasted coconut. Complete 360 from this recipe but it definitely gives you the foundation to mix n match. Excellent recipe, thank you!!
Really good. I used fat free cream cheese and egg substitute. Next time I think I will add more cherries.
I would rate the taste and appearance of this cake 5 stars but the texture was more like a 3. It was dry and crumbly, but that might be due to overmixing on my part? I'll try this again but I'm only going to bake for about 55 minutes.
I made this for a brunch. My friends and family all said it was delicious! I made a glaze with powdered sugar and milk -- then drizzled it over the top. 'Definately make this again!
Made this recipe with only a couple minor changes. I used a whole bottle of cherries and I only had to bake it for 60 minutes. The aroma while it was baking was unbelievable. It tasted every bit as good as it smelled. Moist and delicious! Thank you for posting this recipe. It's definitely a keeper and one I plan on using regularly!
This was a simple and great cake to make with a pleasant taste. Also presents very well.
Excellent - I topped with a glaze and cherries for a Christmas dessert. Drain the cherries before dredging - it makes life easier :-)
It is not a very " creamy " cake on my opinion...Good, but not the best. I also would add a little bit more of cherries. Thanks for sharing. Monica
So delicious and soooo beautiful. I will also cook it a little less time though, my husband thought it could be moister. I will add the cherry juice glaze and it will be perfect. Will definitely keep this recipe around for life.
I have baked this recipe before and it is the best! Thanks for sharing it with those who have never experienced this. Lor P.S. I know a Holly Fisher who lives in Aurora, Ontario. Are you by any chance that Holly Fisher?
This is the most beautiful, moist, and delicious cake that made a great addition to my holiday baking repertoire. I took the advice of most reviews here and doubled the amount of cherries, and since I didn't have a tube pan, I used a pretty rose-shaped bundt pan and it made a great presentation. I also melted down a jar of cream cheese frosting and added the remaining cherry juice to that, making a nice pink frosting-glaze for the top.
This came out awesome - I love it!! I made an icing with the cherry juice and conf sugar and some almond extract, it was tasty but I made it too thin and it absorbed into the cake which is good too but it's not as nice looking as I imagined it would be lol but it'll get eaten, my son and his friend really like this cake too.
Mmmm. We all love this one. I've baked it twice so far. The second time I reduced the butter and added a bit of vegetable oil. It made for a slightly moister texture that I tend to prefer in cakes. It's so pretty baked in a fluted bundt pan and dusted with icing sugar. Nice for Christmas.
I made this pound cake December 2009, it was the first time I ever made a cake from scratch and everyone loved it. My husband comes from a line of cooks and they have and old pound cake family recipe they dont share...(from his great great grandma) I made it without the cherries too and they couldn't tell which piece was his family's or mine on a fam reunion!!! Tasty, soft and melts in your mouth! Awsome and easy!
Delicious and easy to prepare. I left out the cherries and added lemon zest and oil. Glazed with sugar and lemon juice syrup.
i made this cake yesterday for my family, it was the best cake i have ever made, now on the weekend i have to bake 5 more cakes, i would recommend this cake to everyone i know
The pound cake was very good. I added 2 tsp of almond extract because I love that flavor, I might could have used 3 instead. I also made a glaze out of powder sugar, almond extract, cream and butter and drizzled it over the top. I made it for a bake sale and it never made it there. Will make it again, next time I will use 3 tsp of almond extract.
Delicious Recipe! I've made it many times and given it as gifts for the holidays. Everyone really loves it!
This is a very good cake! I tried using low fat cream cheese and margarine, but it wasn't as moist as the first time I made it with regular ingredients. I added my own touch to this by making a pecan-glaze topping. I toasted the pecans in a little butter, and then took some of the cherry juice and powdered sugar and made a glaze it with. The nuts never lost its crunch or its buttery flavor, and just made the almond flavor and cherries really stand out. Everyone raved about it!
Excellent dessert and very pretty, too! This is a VERY buttery cake, and next time I'm going to attempt substituting the butter and the cream cheese for a healthier version (so as not to feel guilty eating it!) I didn't have a bundt pan, so I used a bread pan, but next time I'll try it with the bundt- only because it looks better. I'm adding this recipe to my Christmas day brunch menu, thanks!
Perfect Pound Cake Everytime. Relied heavily on this cherry cake during the holidays for entertaining multiple guests.
Slightly dry. I baked it for 65 min. I might try it again and only go 55 minutes. It was a dense cake, I may end up using it in trifle recipes as it could hold up well.
Very good pound cake,moist and buttery.Changed baking time 15min less. Will make it again.
This is really good, the cake has a nice flavour. The only thing I'll do next time is at least double the amount of cherries.
This is delicious. I took the advice of others and only baked it an hour. It came out just right. My only concern is that it's a little dry. Maybe I'll yank it out of the oven even sooner next time.
This recipe will be a 5 the next time I make it because I will do a few things differently. I liked the other reviewer's idea about sprinkling some of the cherries on the bottom of the pan before pouring the batter in. Definately use more cherries. I used a jar and a half of cherries, but I will use 2 jars next time (or more!). The cook time was also way too long. I'll bring it down to 60 mins next time so that it is more moist. The flavor of this cake is excellent. I also reccomend making a glaze of milk & powdered sugar (with some cherry flavored extract) to put on top.
I made this cake today and just ate the first piece. It is so delicious. I also added more cherries and I layered the cherries as someone else suggested and used some of the cherry juice in the glaze. I will definately make this again. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
I made this for Valentine's Day to bring into work. Received rave reviews. I would definitely make this again. I only cooked it for 60 minutes. Next time I made add white choco chips as someone else suggested.
Love, love love this recipe. I did change it a little bit, I used half the eggs as egg whites, half the sugar was Splenda , a little more cream cheese and a little less butter. I made a icing with the juice of the cherries, I will for sure use more cherries next time.
Yum! Everyone loved this cake. Glad I read the reviews, cake was done in 55 minutes. May add more cherries next time.
I used the 50-minute baking time suggested by other reviewers and kept an eye on it the last 5-10 minutes. It came out perfectly with a touch of brown and none of the dryness issues some others mentioned. I would describe the end result as a dense sweet pound cake. It smelled wonderful. This is not in the elegant dessert category. The bundt shape and the maraschino cherries make it feel like something straight off a 1960's cookbook cover. Overall I found it just okay. If I made it again I'd probably experiment with changing the fruit to dark cherries or a berry and reducing the sugar a bit.
This cake was ok but not what I was hoping for.It was done after 60 mins.I followed the recipe exactly,only change was the use of a bundt pan.It wasn't moist yet a bit on the dry side.The almond extract definitely dominates with its flavor.I doubt I will reuse this recipe.
Delicious cake! I only baked this cake for 60 minutes as other reviewers advised. The next time I make this I will add additional cherries. I did make a cherry glaze per another reviewer. 1 cup of powdered sugar 1 teaspoon of almond extract 3 tablespoons of cherry juice
What a wonderful cake, just moist enough to melt in your mouth. I served it with coffee and ice cream. After reading other reviews, I packaged and froze half the cake before serving. Glad I did, because I could have made an oinker out of myself. Thanks for the recipe Holly. iota
I am in Colorado so I added a 1/4cup extra ap flour 1/4 light brown sugar 1.5 tbsp apple sauce I used 1 1/4 cup fresh tart cherries, macerated in sugar,splash of oj, and shot of brandy(let sit for 45 min room temp, then strain off liquid) I added 3/4 cup cocoa powder I also added 1tspn extra baking powder Came out light airy, not to sweet and just the right tartness.
I have doubled the amount of cherries, used 2 tsp of vanila(did not have almond extract) and baked for 60 min and it came out wonderful. I made it for my neighbours so I dont know how it tasted but they raved about it.
This cake was awesome! Being a first-time pound-cake maker, I was skeptical, but it was easy to follow and tasted great. I glazed it with a browned butter glaze, using some of the cherry juice to add flavor, and it came out yummy!
I have been making this cherry cake for over 30 years, with just a few changes....I use all pure (not artificial) flavorings...Vanilla, Almond, and Lemon....and baking cherries instead of maraschino... The recipe belongs to my dear Mother In Law, Lillian, who passed away some years ago at the age of 98. Enjoy.!!!..I do forget though how long to store it before freezing it....any thoughts?..The cake need to age a bit before you freeze, but how long?
I made this cake with fresh cherries and substituted the almond extract with half a teaspoon of lemon zest. Very moist and delicious.
This is a delicious cake! I have made it once and now I have made it again. It was delicious the first time and I had requests to do it again.
I made two - One with one and a half cups of cherries and one with 2 cups of cherries. I burned them both I don't think they liked being cooked in the toaster oven. Even so they were delicious - I cut the burnt part off and what was left tasted great!
Very good I have made it twice now. the first time I used 1/4 tsp of almond extract because I don't like it much and it came out good, then I made it with 2 tsp of vanilla and no almond flavoring and it was perfect! its the cake I have been looking for. thank you so much for posting it!
I made this recipe for Christmas in a fancy bundt cake pan and topped it with a glaze made with powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract. I added extra cherries to the cake batter as others have mentioned. It was delicious and was a huge hit in a family that usually prefers chocolate! (They loved the chocolate cake I made but it was not as popular.) It also looked beautiful on a pretty glass cake plate garnished with cherries. This cake will be a new Christmas tradition in our family, too. Thanks for sharing Nana's recipe!
Made exactly as directions state. The taste was good but the cake was just a bit to dry for our liking. And to be fair I am not personally a fan of cherries.
I had two small jars of maraschino cherries in the pantry--red and green--so decided to try this. It turned out beautifully! Moist, not too sweet with a nice crumb. Goes well with coffee.
This was better than expected. I was worried about the cherries being to potent but they were great! I followed the dirrections to a "T" accept for taking the cake out 5 min before the suggested time. Very moist, wouldn't change a thing. P.S. I am very picky about my cakes.
I also used 1 1/2 the recipe for my standard bundt pan. I also used 2 jars of cherries but left them whole. I dredged the cherries in flour before adding to the batter but after baking the cherries were all on the bottom of the cake (or top after removing from pan). I was expecting a more even distribution. I used a wonderful vanilla glaze on top which absorbed into the cake and was delicious. The cake was marvelous. Can't wait to bake it again but maybe I will use the method of pouring a layer batter and placing cherries on each layer to even out the distribution.
I love this recipe. The cake is so delicious. I made a few changes. I did not add the almond extract (personal taste....i don't like it). Also instead of cherries I used dried cranberries and the zest of one orange. For a glaze I used confectioners sugar, warm milk and the juice of half an orange mixed together and drizzled over the top. It was awesome. It disappeared quickly at my husband's work holiday party. I will definately make this cake again and I am gonna try the cherries next time.
I have made cakes and cup cakes from this recipe with chocholate glaze. They all turn out amazing every time and everyone loves it. Thank you so much for sharing.
my family loves cake.So last christmas i wanted to bake that i haven't baked before and so i chose this recipe and i wasn't sure that my family would like it but when we were eating dinner and i brought the cake it disappered before my very own eyes...everyone eat it all too bad i couldn't get a piece!!!!!!
This has been my favorite cake for my birthday for several years. I put in about double the amount of cherries, but I get excessive like that with most recipe add ins. It's also excellent with other fruits instead of cherries.
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