Can this cake be made with frozen cherries?

I haven't tested this cake with frozen cherries. If you'd like to try it, I suggest letting the cherries defrost first, then drain and pat them dry. You don't want any extra moisture getting into the cake.

What are the best types of cherries to use for this cake?

Any type of fresh sweet cherry will work in this cake. I usually use Bing or Rainier as they're readily available for me in the summer, but other sweet varieties are great too. You'll want to make sure that your cherries are firm. Overly ripe and soft cherries will release extra juices and moisture into the cake. I haven't tested this recipe with sour cherries, jarred or canned cherries, maraschino cherries or dried cherries.

How do you keep cherries from sinking in the batter?

You'll want to cut your cherries into small pieces so they evenly disperse in the batter. Once I pit my cherries and cut them in half, I usually cut them into even smaller pieces.

Can you use a different size pan?

I like to make this cake in a 9-inch round pan. I originally tested it in an 8-inch round pan and it sunk in the middle a little bit. While you can use a regular 9-inch cake pan, I use my springform pan so I can easily remove the sides and slice the cake without disturbing the almond topping.

Cherry Almond Cake

Description

This easy, gluten-free Cherry Almond Cake is light and tender with sweet almond flavor, juicy fresh cherries and a crunchy almond topping.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (260g) fine blanched almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (160g) chopped fresh cherries
1/2 cup (45g) sliced almonds

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. I also like to line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, olive oil, almond extract and vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
Gently fold in the chopped cherries.
Spread the batter out into the prepared pan and scatter the almond slices evenly over top of the batter.
Bake for 27-29 minutes, or until the almonds start to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

Once pitted, I usually chop each cherry into 4-6 pieces. You’ll want to chop the cherries first, and then measure them out into your measuring cup.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you’ll want to measure your almond flour using the spoon and level method with a dry measuring cup. If you measure your flour by scooping it out of the bag, it’ll be packed and you’ll end up with too much flour for the cake.
I always make sure my eggs are at room temperature so they mix together evenly with the other ingredients.
If your cake is done before the almonds are browned on top, you can turn the oven on broil for just a minute or two. (Keep a close eye as the almonds will start to burn quickly).
Let the cake cool fully before cutting into it. If it’s still warm, it will be crumbly.
Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.