This isn't your average coffee cake. Instead, it's a tender and buttery cherry coffee cake made with a thick layer of jammy cherry filling and a cinnamon-brown sugar streusel topping. There's even a hint of almond extract, making it a decadent summer treat. Use your fresh summer cherries, or use frozen cherries to make it year-round!

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Cherries are right up there with peaches as my favorite summer fruit. I snack on them all summer long, but I also love them in my cherry galette and chocolate cherry pie.
But this epic cherry coffee cake will now be added to my summer menu rotation. Because, as my hair stylist texted me after I brought her a few slices, "...this coffee cake is unreal. I can't stop eating it!"
The addition of buttermilk here helps to tenderize the cake, making it moist and fluffy while adding rich flavor. The thick and jammy cherry filling really turns it into more of a dessert, but it can be served as a decadent breakfast or brunch as well.
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⭐️ Why This Coffee Cake is the Best
- Homemade cherry filling is sandwiched between two layers of rich and buttery cake and topped with a brown sugar-cinnamon crumb topping, making it an unforgettable coffee cake.
- A hint of almond extract really elevates the sweet and juicy cherries.
- Versatile recipe that can be served for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
- An elegant and beautiful coffee cake for when you want to impress.
🤔 What is Coffee Cake?
Coffee cake is often a simple one-layer cake with a streusel topping. It can have a variety of fruit added, but is not made with coffee. It's thought that the name, "coffee cake", came from the fact that it has traditionally been served with coffee.
🍒 Ingredient Notes
- Sweet cherries - This is a great way to use fresh summer cherries, but if you can't stand the thought of pitting that many cherries, frozen or canned cherries will work just fine. If using frozen cherries, be sure to thaw and drain first. If using canned cherries, drain them before using.
- Fresh lemon juice - You'll need about ½ lemon's worth of juice. Use fresh lemon juice if possible, as it really makes a difference in flavor.
- Cornstarch - This acts as a thickener for our homemade cherry filling.
- Vanilla extract and almond extract - Almond extract pairs so nicely with cherries, and the combination of the two extracts really adds complex flavor to this cake.
- All-purpose flour - To get the most accurate measurement of flour, use the "spoon and level" method: spoon the flour into a measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- Unsalted butter - Using unsalted butter helps you control the amount of salt in your baking.
- Buttermilk - Besides adding flavor and moisture, it also helps to tenderize the cake.
- Eggs - Make sure your eggs are room temperature before using. To do this quickly, place eggs in a small bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. This helps to create a light and fluffy cake texture.
📝 Variations & Substitutions
- Store-bought cherry pie filling. You can skip the homemade cherry filling (although I think it's so much more flavorful than the store-bought stuff), and buy a can of cherry pie filling. You will need about 2 cups total.
- Almonds. For an extra crunch, add ½ cup of roughly chopped almonds to your streusel mixture.
🔪 How to Make Cherry Coffee Cake
Make the cherry filling
In a medium saucepan, add the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt. Cook on medium-high, until the cherries soften and mixture thickens, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla extract and almond extract. Let cool to room temperature.
Make the streusel topping
To a medium bowl, add all of the streusel ingredients. Use a fork, your hands, or a pastry cutter to combine the mixture. It should start to look like large crumbs. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
Make the coffee cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9" springform pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust lightly with flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar, mixing until well combined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The mixture should look lighter in color. Mix in eggs, one at a time.
With the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Pour ⅓ of cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly using a rubber spatula or offset spatula.
Transfer the cooled cherry filling onto the center of the cake batter in the pan, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
Add the remaining cake batter on top of cherry filling and spread evenly to cover the cherry filling (the filling will get pushed to the edge of the pan naturally).
Sprinkle streusel topping evenly on top of cake batter.
Bake cake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the streusel on top is golden brown. Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes.
Use a knife or offset spatula to loosen cake from the pan by going around the edge of cake, and unlatch to remove the outer ring. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Storage: You can either store this in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- How to freeze: After completely cooled, slice the cake and wrap each individual slice in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Transfer the cake slices to a large freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Butter and flour your pan. Taking the extra minute to spray (or butter) your pan and dust it with flour (even if it's a non-stick pan) will make serving the coffee cake so much easier.
- Don't overmix your cake batter. Mix only until flour is almost combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense and chewy cake, and we want light, tender, and fluffy.
- Chill the streusel. We want to start with cold butter in our streusel, which will make for a large crumb topping with lots of texture.
- Drain canned cherries. If you use canned cherries, be sure to drain them before using. You can use any variety of sweet cherries. I don't recommend using tart cherries or sour cherries, as it won't be a sweet enough cherry filling for the cake.
- Thaw and drain frozen cherries. If you go the frozen cherry route, be sure to thaw and drain any juice before using them.
🍰 More Cake Recipes
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Epic Cherry Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand-mixer
- 9" springform pan
Ingredients
For the cherry filling
- 3 cups sweet cherries, pitted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
For the streusel topping
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
For the coffee cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Instructions
Make the cherry filling
- In a medium saucepan, add the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt. Cook on medium-high, until the cherries soften and mixture thickens, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla extract and almond extract. Let cool to room temperature.
Make the streusel topping
- To a medium bowl, add all of the streusel ingredients. Use a fork, your hands, or a pastry cutter to combine the mixture. It should start to look like large crumbs. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
Make the coffee cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9" springform pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust lightly with flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar, mixing until well combined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The mixture should look lighter in color. Mix in eggs, one at a time.
- With the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour ⅓ of cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly using a rubber spatula or offset spatula.
- Transfer the cooled cherry filling onto the center of the cake batter in the pan, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
- Add the remaining cake batter on top of cherry filling and spread evenly to cover the cherry filling (the filling will get pushed to the edge of the pan naturally).
- Sprinkle streusel topping evenly on top of cake batter.
- Bake cake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the streusel on top is golden brown. Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes.
- Use a knife or offset spatula to loosen cake from the pan by going around the edge of cake, and unlatch to remove the outer ring. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Storage: You can either store this in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- How to freeze: After completely cooled, slice the cake and wrap each individual slice in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Transfer the cake slices to a large freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Don't overmix your cake batter. Mix only until flour is almost combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense and chewy cake, and we want light, tender, and fluffy.
- Thaw and drain frozen cherries. If you go the frozen cherry route, be sure to thaw and drain any juice before using them.
Alison
This turned out beautifully! The cake is so fluffy and tender, and I love the addition of almond extract. I used frozen cherries to make things easier, and it was a breeze! I only wish I had more slices to put in my freezer! Do yourself a HUGE favor, and make this asap!!
MaryAnne
Thanks so much, Alison! I agree that using frozen cherries is the way to go to make life easier, and I also love the almond flavor. So happy to hear that it was a hit!
Jeannie L. Provost
Amazing recipe! I made my own easy buttermilk and used Amaretto in the cherry compote, as I didn't have almond extract. Doubled up on the vanilla for the same reason. Also, added shaved almonds to the streusel. Sublime!!
MaryAnne
Amaretto in the cherry compote sounds amazing! Thanks so much for your review, Jeannie! 🙂