Description
Every bite of this Vintage Maraschino Cherry Cake is a nostalgic hug from the past—think soft, buttery layers kissed with cherry juice, bursting with juicy maraschino bits, and topped with a dreamy cherry-kissed buttercream. Perfect for birthdays, tea time, or any moment that needs a little retro magic.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup maraschino cherry juice
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries
- For the Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1–2 tbsp milk (for smoother consistency)
- Whole maraschino cherries, for garnish
- Optional: ¼ tsp almond extract (for extra depth)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3–4 minutes).
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and cherry juice.
- Alternate adding dry mix and milk, starting and ending with dry ingredients.
- Fold in chopped maraschino cherries gently with a spatula.
- Divide batter evenly into pans and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- To make frosting, beat butter until creamy, gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in cherry juice, vanilla, and almond extract if using. Add milk for smoother texture if needed.
- Frost the first cake layer, top with the second layer, and frost the entire cake. Garnish with whole cherries.
Notes
Drain your cherries well to avoid soggy batter, and don’t skip the almond extract—it adds that nostalgic twist!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 63g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 90mg