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:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x11 pan and set aside.
- Chop maraschino cherries into small pieces and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the gelatin and beat to combine.
- Fold in the chopped cherries, and pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cake completely. Poke holes in the cake and drizzle the reserved cherry juice over the cake.
- While the cake is cooling, whip chilled cream until light and fluffy.
- Add in a splash of vanilla and powdered sugar and whip until smooth.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and top with cherries.
- 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!
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Easy Cherry Cake
Ingredients
For the Cherry Cake
- 16 ounces white cake mix
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 ounces cherry flavored gelatin
- ¾ cup maraschino cherries finely chopped
- ⅓ cup cherry juice
For the Whipped Frosting
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream chilled
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 15 maraschino cherries drained
Instructions
For the Cherry Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x11 pan and set aside. Chop maraschino cherries into small pieces and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the gelatin and beat to combine. Fold in the chopped cherries, and pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake completely.
- Poke holes in the cake and drizzle the reserved cherry juice over the cake.
For the Whipped Frosting
- While the cake is cooling, whip chilled cream until light and fluffy. Add in a splash of vanilla and powdered sugar and whip until smooth.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and top with cherries.
Slice into squares and serve!
Susie
I didn't a=rate this because I have a question.
Where do you find a 16 oz cake mix ??
Thank You,
Susie
Teri
Any normal size cake mix will do just fine. The one I used was 16 oz.
Susie
Great, thank you. I'm making this in a few day's
Teri
Great, hope you like it. I'm going to try it with mandarin oranges next time.