A deliciously moist and tender Cherry Crumb Cake that is sure to receive rave reviews at your next potluck or barbecue. This easy to make breakfast type cake is crowned with fresh ruby red cherries and a lemon scented, almond crumb streusel topping.
Having a neighbouring outdoor farmer’s market that’s opened 24 hours a day certainly has its perks. Especially coming off work after a late evening shift!
This farmer’s market is in the heart of a bustling metropolis. The fruit and vegetable stands are filled great produce at extremely affordable prices. However, they’re only opened during the Spring to Fall.
With cherry season upon us and outdoor stands brimming with one of summer’s luscious fruits, who can resist the pull to purchase this delectable fruit!
I’d be quite content savouring every juicy bite while basking in the warmth of a beautiful sunny day. However… transforming them into a special baked treat…is definitely the cherry on the cake!
How to Make an Almond Streusel topping for a Crumb Cake
We’ll start first with this almond and lemon scented crumb topping.
Simply combine the flour, sugar, melted butter, sliced almonds, lemon zest, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.
Stir the crumb top ingredients together until the mixture is crumbly. Use your hands to do this as it makes the job a whole lot easier.
Let it chill in the fridge while you pit the cherries.
And if you’re planning ahead, this almond streusel topping can be made and stored for up to 5 days.
How to Pit Cherries
To easily pit the cherries, it goes without saying that a cherry pitter is your best friend here!
But no worries if you don’t have one. You can just as easily quarter the cherries around the pit with a pairing knife.
I find it messier with a knife but it definitely gets the job done!
Once the cherries are all pitted, you can either slice them in half or in quarters. Both are fine for topping the cherry cake.
Set the cherries aside while you prepare the cake batter.
How to Make a Cherry Crumb Cake
- With a stand mixer or a hand held mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes.
- If using a stand mixer, make sure to stop occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time while mixing well after each addition.
- Mix in both the vanilla and almond extracts.
- In a separate bowl, whisk well together the flour, baking powder and salt. This will remove any large lumps.
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture while alternating with the almond milk. You can substitute the almond milk with buttermilk or whole milk.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased 8 inch springform pan and smooth the top with an off set spatula.
Scatter the pitted and quartered cherries evenly over the cake batter. If they overlap somewhat, it’s totally ok.
Sprinkle the almond crumb topping over the cherries while making sure to spread evenly over the cherries and covering them completely.
Bake the cherry cake for about 1 hour.
Test for doneness with a wooden skewer. If it comes out clean when inserted in the middle, then you’re good.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
Then release the cake and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dust the cherry crumb cake with powdered sugar, slice and serve!
This cherry crumb cake has all the makings of a delicious coffee cake. It’s wonderfully soft and dense in texture.
It makes for a lovely contrast with the burst of cherries just beneath the crumbly layer of almond crumble topping.
And there’s definitely some sweet goodness in every bite!
Happy baking!
This recipe was originally published June 23, 2017 and republished with new content and photos July 10, 2020.
Cherry Crumb Cake
Ingredients
ALMOND CRUMB TOPPING
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
FOR THE CHERRY CRUMB CAKE
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup almond milk substitute with buttermilk or whole milk
- 1 pound cherries pitted and quartered
Instructions
ALMOND CRUMB TOPPING
- Combine all ingredients for the almond crumb topping in a small bowl and stir until the mixture is crumbly.
- The mixture can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
CHERRY CRUMB CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
- Grease and flour an 8 inch springform pan then line the pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy. About 3 to 4 minutes.
- If using a stand mixer make sure to occasionally stop and scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition.
- Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- With the mixer reduced to low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture while alternating with the almond milk.
- Begin and end with the flour mixture.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Spread the pitted cherries evenly over the cake batter.
- Sprinkle the almond crumb topping over the cherries.
- Bake the cake for about 1 hour or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before releasing the cake and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- The cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 6 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi Marisa! This looks wonderful. I adore cherries!
Hi Debbie, its just not summer without bowlfuls of these sweet little jewels…right!!
All I have to say is I’d like a piece of this delicious cake right now! 🙂
Ronit I wish I could share it with you, its really yummy 🙂
🙂
I’d love to make this but see the baking powder ingredient listed twice. Should it be 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp baking powder? Thanks.
Hi Brenda, thanks so much for reaching out! Its a typing error on my part and I just updated it. Its actually 1 teaspoon of baking powder and NO baking soda. My apologies for the confusion. Hope you get to try it, I know you’ll love it! 🙂
A cake and a crumble! How wonderful is that! And you have put it together so seamlessly!
Thanks so much Annika, it’s really quite easy to put together and so so yummy??
Gorgeous summer cake, Marisa! Yay for cherry season!
Thanks Kathryn, it’s simple to make and yet impressive??
You just solved my Fourth of July dessert dilemma Marisa, fantastic recipe.
Paula I’m sure you will enjoy it very much. It’s not a fussy cake to make and yet so impressive! Thanks for dropping by??
Another winner! My daughter has loved crumb cake since she was a child. Will make this for her when she comes home from college soon! Thanks again.
I am sure she’ll love it Stella, it’s a wonderful summer cake??
Ooooh delicious combination~! I absolutely love cherries and a subtle ginger & lime always boosts them even more. The flavored crumble is ingenious! Whenever I get the chance to play around with a crumble cake, I make too much of the crumbs, freeze them and use them for compotes, ice creams and the like 🙂
It’s always great to have extra crumble on hand, especially when a craving for Crumb Muffins comes along and it does freeze extremely well. Thanks for dropping by Nahdala?
Okay! I am running right down to the cherry orchard to get some fresh cherries to make this!
Kim, how wonderful to have a cherry orchard nearby…I am so envious!! I hope you get to try it and thank-you for your comment 🙂
I love all the flavours you have going on in this cake. It sounds so yummy. Now that the cherries are here, this is a perfect way to use them. Thanks for the inspiration!
There is a lovely burst of sweet juicy cherries in every bite, I know you’ll love this cake Colleen.Thanks so much for dropping by 🙂
Wow, your cake looks amazing and I love the ginger lime crumbs! I never thought of combing lime and ginger, but I can imagine how flavourful that is. A farmer’s market that is opened 24 hours! I am so jealous!! We need something like that here is Vancouver!! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
The lime and ginger add a lovely zing to the crumb mixture! This is one cake you’ll want to make again and again.
Vicky every city should have a Farmer’s Market opened 24 hours in my opinion…it sure saved the day many a times! Thanks so much for dropping by 🙂
Loved this beautiful crumble cake. Great post.
Thanks Sumith, its a keeper 🙂
Wow, if there was a 24/7 farmers’ market open in my neighbourhood, you know where I’d be! I love how luscious and fruity this cake looks. It reminds me of something I’d have with a fancy cup of tea while entertaining guests. 🙂
With coffee, tea or a cold glass of milk…it’s welcome any time for sure! We love that market and it’s so convenient to have one nearby and the prices are fabulous…thanks Cassie?
Mmmm! I’m eating fresh Okanagan Bing cherries as I am reading this…my sister brought them all the way from near Vernon, BC.
This cake looks so delicious, love the ginger and lime in there too. I can only DREAM about a 24 hours farmer’s market…lucky YOU!
The ginger and lime adds a lovely zing to the Crumb topping, Bernice and the farmer’ s market although not a huge one has saved the day many times! Thanks so much for dropping by?
mmm. . . this looks yummy. The pictures are incredible – you are a skilled food photographer.
Hi Sheryl! Thanks so much that is very kind of you and yes this cake is really yummy??
I have company coming and this has special dessert written all over it! Thank you for the lovely recipe!! Pinned!
Hi Annie, this cherry cake is perfect for company and has one of the yummiest crumb topping ever! You’ll love it 🙂
Your page is beautiful – I am just discovering it! I followed you on IG too so I can be sure to not miss a recipe 🙂
Hi Abbey, thanks for the follow and happy to hear you like my page! 🙂
Oh wow. I could just dive right into that cake. What a beautiful texture!
Thanks Linda, its a lovely summer cake that packs a wonderful almond scent and so easy to make!