This Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake recipe delivers a moist, tender crumb bursting with the vibrant, sweet-tart flavor of ripe cherries, offering a delightful homemade treat perfect for any occasion. It’s an incredibly useful recipe for utilizing peak-season cherries and impressing guests with minimal fuss.
Key Ingredients for Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk, at room temperature
- 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved (or quartered if large)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing cherries)
- Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting, or a simple glaze made with powdered sugar and lemon juice.
How to Make Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake
This Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake is wonderfully simple to prepare, resulting in a moist, incredibly flavorful treat that’s satisfying with every bite thanks to its tender crumb and juicy cherry bursts. The preparation time is approximately 20 minutes, with an additional 50-60 minutes for baking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Prepare the Cherries: In a small bowl, toss the pitted and halved fresh cherries with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
- Fold in Cherries: Gently fold the floured cherries into the cake batter until evenly distributed.
- Bake the Loaf: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake: Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
- Cool: Let the loaf cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate (Optional): Once completely cooled, you can dust the loaf cake with powdered sugar or drizzle it with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a splash of lemon juice or milk.
Why You’ll Love This Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake
You’ll absolutely adore this Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake for its incredibly moist texture and the delightful burst of sweet-tart cherry flavor in every single bite. Making this at home is also a fantastic cost-saving option, especially when cherries are in season, allowing you to enjoy a gourmet-style treat without the high price tag of a bakery.
Unlike a simple spice cake, the vibrant juiciness of fresh cherries adds a unique fruity dimension that’s truly irresistible. It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, a delightful afternoon snack, or even a light dessert. Don’t wait to experience this summery delight; try this Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake recipe today and taste the difference homemade makes!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Properly storing your Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake ensures it stays delicious for days. To store at room temperature, wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate the wrapped cake in an airtight container for up to a week.
If you wish to freeze portions or the entire loaf for future enjoyment, wrap it very tightly in plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil or place it in a freezer-safe bag. Properly frozen, it can last for up to 3 months. To reheat, let it thaw at room temperature. If you prefer a slightly warm slice, you can gently warm it in a low oven (around 300°F or 150°C) for 5-10 minutes, or microwave individual slices for about 15-20 seconds.
Final Thoughts
This Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake is a quintessential taste of summer, offering a delightful balance of sweetness and tartness in every tender slice. We encourage you to gather those fresh cherries and bake this simple, yet spectacular, loaf cake; your kitchen will smell amazing, and your taste buds will thank you.
Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until combined.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup milk
- In a small bowl, toss the pitted and halved fresh cherries with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.2 cups fresh cherries, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Gently fold the floured cherries into the cake batter until evenly distributed.2 cups fresh cherries
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
- Let the loaf cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once completely cooled, you can dust the loaf cake with powdered sugar or drizzle it with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a splash of lemon juice or milk.Powdered sugar, Simple glaze