Some days, you’ve just gotta have cake. This recipe for Easy Cherry Cake is so easy, and starts with a plain box of cake mix. But we’re going to tell you how to jazz it up with sweet cherries and a light, homemade whipped topping. This yummy cake recipe is great to throw together for unexpected company, potlucks, or a surprise weeknight dessert for the family.

 

Easy Cherry Cake

How many times have you had that unmistakable craving for cake? You browse through old cookbooks, looking for a recipe that you’ve got all of the ingredients for. Then you think, gah, do I really want to go to all that trouble?

This recipe for cherry cake is so easy, it comes together in a few minutes with very little effort. Just start with a good box of white cake mix, a box of cherry-flavored gelatin, and maraschino cherries, and you have the beginning of a yummy dessert.

 

 

Ingredients for this Easy Cake Recipe:

• Box of white cake mix – Pick one that says “extra moist”. Those are the best.
• Eggs
• Vegetable oil
• Milk
• Box of cherry flavored gelatin – For our recipe, we used black cherry flavor.
• Maraschino cherries + reserved cherry juice
• Vanilla
• Heavy cream
• Powdered sugar

 

 

For the cake batter, all you have to do is beat together the cake mix, oil, eggs, milk, and a little bit of vanilla until smooth. Then, add a box of powdered cherry Jello and chopped maraschino cherries.

Pour into a pan and bake until done. Super easy, right?

I LOVE cherry desserts, and this easy cake recipe is no exception. For the gelatin, we had a box of black cherry flavor, and that was perfect for this recipe.

While the cherry cake is cooling off, whip up a simple batch of whipped frosting. This lightly sweet topping is perfect. Light, creamy, and not too sweet. It pairs perfectly with the sweet flavor of the cherry cake.

 

 

How to make this Cherry Cake Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×11 pan and set aside.
2. Chop maraschino cherries into small pieces and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Add the gelatin and beat to combine.
5. Fold in the chopped cherries, and pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
6. Bake for 35 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Cool the cake completely. Poke holes in the cake and drizzle the reserved cherry juice over the cake.
8. While the cake is cooling, whip chilled cream until light and fluffy.
9. Add in a splash of vanilla and powdered sugar and whip until smooth.
10. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and top with cherries.
11. Slice into squares and serve!

 

 

TIP: For a super moist cake, poke holes in the cake while it is cooling. Drizzle a little of the maraschino cherry juice onto the cake. The crumbly cake soaks up all of that cherry flavor and really puts it over the top.

 

More Easy Dessert Recipes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth:

Cinnamon Cherry Crockpot Cobbler

Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings

Fresh Strawberry Tarts

 

 

Doesn’t this Cherry Cake look amazing? No one will believe you started with a box mix, and you don’t have to tell them, either.

TIP: For the best whipped topping, start with chilled heavy cream, a cold metal bowl, and cold beaters.

This is a fun recipe to change up, too. Craving lemon? Swap out the gelatin for lemon flavor. You can so the same thing with oranges, blueberries, and more. Great way to fix up a box mix!

 

 

Love this post? Sign up for the Buy This Cook That Newsletter for a weekly email of new content. You can also follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram for our latest + greatest ideas!