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Cherry Almond Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 420 reviews

This Cherry Almond Cake is a delightful layered dessert combining light and fluffy almond-flavored cake with a smooth white chocolate buttercream frosting. Featuring a tender crumb enhanced with vanilla bean and almond extracts alongside subtle bursts of maraschino cherries, this cake is perfect for special occasions or a sophisticated dessert treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 4 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 inch vanilla bean, seeds scraped into the batter (pod reserved for vanilla sugar)
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 6 egg whites, unbeaten
  • ¼ cup Maraschino cherries, finely chopped

Buttercream

  • 18 ounces white chocolate chips
  • 3 cups unsalted butter, cut into cubes, room temperature
  • 9 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
  • ¾ cup heavy cream, very cold

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with waxed paper, and dust with flour to prevent sticking.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set this dry mixture aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar together for about 5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial for an airy and tender cake texture.
  4. Add Flavorings: Beat in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the scraped vanilla bean seeds into the creamed butter and sugar until well incorporated.
  5. Alternate Adding Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk: Gradually add the dry flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the butter mixture. Beat thoroughly after each addition to combine fully.
  6. Add Egg Whites: Add the unbeaten egg whites to the batter and beat on medium speed for two minutes to incorporate air and improve texture.
  7. Cherry Batter: Stir the finely chopped Maraschino cherries into one-third of the batter to create the cherry-flavored cake layer.
  8. Prepare Pans for Baking: Divide the almond-flavored batter equally between two greased and wax-paper-lined 9-inch round pans. Pour the cherry batter into the third pan.
  9. Bake the Cakes: Bake all pans at 350°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. Cool: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto racks to cool completely.
  11. Make Buttercream: Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 10 to 15 seconds to avoid scorching. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  12. Beat Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter until fluffy. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar and beat on high until fully combined and light.
  13. Add Extract and Cream: Mix in the almond extract and very cold heavy cream for richness and smooth texture.
  14. Combine White Chocolate: With the mixer on high speed, carefully add the cooled melted white chocolate to the buttercream. Beat until the frosting is light, airy, and well blended.
  15. Assemble and Frost: Use the almond and cherry cake layers and fill and frost them with the prepared white chocolate almond buttercream for a beautiful, flavorful cake.

Notes

  • Creaming the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes is essential to develop a light and fluffy cake texture.
  • For a stronger almond flavor, increase the almond extract by an additional ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
  • Use cake flour specifically to maintain a tender and fluffy crumb.
  • While melting white chocolate, stir frequently and avoid any water contact to prevent it from seizing.
  • Make sure all ingredients, except where noted, are at room temperature for best results.

Keywords: Cherry Almond Cake, White Chocolate Buttercream, Layered Cake, Dessert Cake, Almond Cake, Cherry Cake

Find it online: https://mixitwitjoe.com/cherry-almond-cake-recipe/