• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Buy This Cook That
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plans
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Easy Cherry Cake

    Updated Mar 18, 2020

    194 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Easy Cherry Cake Recipe | Buy This Cook That

    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 | Buy This Cook That

     

    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.

     

    Maraschino cherries

     

    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.

     

    Homemade whipped frosting

     

    How to make this Cherry Cake Recipe:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x11 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!

     

    Easy Cherry Cake Recipe | Buy This Cook That

     

    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

     

    Cherry cake in a baking pan next to a plate with a piece of cake.

     

    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!

     

    Cherry Cake Recipe

     

    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!

    Cherry cake in a baking pan next to a plate with a piece of cake.

    Easy Cherry Cake

    Whip up this sweet and easy recipe for cherry cake using a store bought cake mix, flavored gelatin, and maraschino cherries. Topped with our light, homemade whipped frosting, this dessert treat will be a hit with the whole family.
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Email Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Cooling Time 30 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 15 Slices
    Calories 361 kcal

    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!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1SliceCalories: 361kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 3gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 261mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 0gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 410IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 0.8mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Dessert Recipes

    • How to Make Alabama Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
    • Warm + Spiced Pumpkin Muffins Fresh from the Oven
    • Learn How to Make an Easy Pumpkin Pie Danish
    • How to Make a Pear Galette

    SUBSCRIBE

    for weekly recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susie

      February 19, 2019 at 1:02 pm

      I didn't a=rate this because I have a question.
      Where do you find a 16 oz cake mix ??

      Thank You,
      Susie

      Reply
      • Teri

        February 20, 2019 at 12:02 pm

        Any normal size cake mix will do just fine. The one I used was 16 oz.

        Reply
      • Susie

        February 21, 2019 at 12:41 pm

        Great, thank you. I'm making this in a few day's

        Reply
        • Teri

          February 21, 2019 at 9:48 pm

          Great, hope you like it. I'm going to try it with mandarin oranges next time.

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Playoff Ready

    Whiskey Glazed Smoked Sausage

    Whiskey Glazed Sausage and Peppers

    How to Host a Football Party on a Budget

    Reuben Sliders

    Reuben Sliders (Are the Best)

    Nashville Hot Chicken Wraps

    Nashville Hot Chicken Wraps

    More Game Day Recipes →

    Salad Recipes

    Fresh & colorful, this spicy and crunchy Jamaican Slaw Recipe is a flavor-packed side dish. Sweet and bright peppers with healthy cabbage.

    Spicy Jamaican Slaw Recipe

    Mandarin Chinese Chicken Salad

    winter salad

    Winter Salad with Cranberry Chipotle Vinaigrette

    Fried Chicken Salad

    Blueberry + Fried Chicken Salad

    More Salad Recipes →

    Free Meal Plans

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy + Disclosure

    Free Meal Plans

    • Sign Up! for Free Meal Plans

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Buy This Cook That