This coconut and cherry cake is moist, aromatic, and a little different from the usual cherry cake. You can make it with fresh, frozen, or canned cherries.
This cherry and coconut cake was the cake for my kids one summer. It must be the unusual combination of cherries and coconut, but I think it's mostly the texture. It's incredibly moist without being fluffy. Somehow, it reminds me of a thick, tender pancake - unusual, but in the best possible way. You really have to try it to know what I mean.
After baking, the cake is soaked with warm cream and melted butter, making it incredibly moist and giving it a texture unlike any other cake on the blog.
Every cherry season, I get into preserving and baking mode. We only have about two weeks to pick the cherries from our huge old tree, so I make everything from Cherry Butter and Amaretto Cherries to Cherry Syrup and countless cakes. If you're looking for more ideas, have a look at my Cherry Recipes collection, or try the readers' favorite Cherry Loaf Cake or this Cherry Almond Cake.
Ingredients: 10 | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 12 slices | Difficulty: Easy
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Recipe ingredients
Cherries: Fresh, frozen, or canned cherries all work well.
- Fresh: pit them.
- Frozen: thaw and drain well.
- Canned: drain well.
Batter: Large eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and buttermilk.
- If you don't have buttermilk in the house but still want to bake, mix ¾ cup milk/ 175 ml with 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes. Use as instructed in the recipe.
Topping: Unsweetened desiccated coconut. Check out this Carrot and Coconut Cake next; it's amazing!
Soaking: Heavy cream and butter.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make cherry coconut cake?
Step #1: Butter the springform and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs or flour to coat it all over. Turn it over the sink and pat it on the bottom to remove the excess. Set aside.
Step #2: Pit the cherries.
Step #3: Beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Step #4: In a separate bowl, mix the flour and the baking powder. Sieve the flour mixture over the egg mixture and mix in shortly at low speed.
Step #5: Add the buttermilk and incorporate it quickly.
Step #6: Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Step #7: Add the cherries.
Step #8: Sprinkle the top of the cherry cake with the coconut.
Step #9: Bake for 20-25 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of baking, gently heat the butter and cream until the butter melts. Don't let the mixture boil.
Step #10: Remove the cake from the oven and immediately pour the cream mixture all over. Let it stand for 1 hour before transferring it to a wire rack; it needs some time to absorb all the liquid properly.
Tips
Variations: This recipe also works well with raspberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, or berries. Coconut is especially delicious with raspberries or canned mandarins.
Use a digital kitchen scale for the best baking results.
A cherry pitter makes preparing fresh cherries much easier.
Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature and bake the batter as soon as it's mixed.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for 4-5 days.
Freeze the whole cake or individual slices for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Coconut and Cherry Cake
Equipment
- springform about 9-10 inches/ 23-24 cm
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 7 oz cherries weighed after pitting, Note 2
- 2 eggs large
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ cup buttermilk Note 3
- 4-5 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare cherries: If using frozen cherries, defrost and drain them before starting with the cake. Pit the cherries, if fresh, or drain them, if canned. Set aside.7 oz cherries
- Prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Grease the springform and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs to coat all over. Turn it over the sink and pat it on the bottom to remove the excess. Set aside.
- Wet ingredients: Beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes at medium speed on a stand mixer or medium-high speed with an electric mixer. 2 eggs + ½ cup granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dry ingredients: In another bowl, mix the flour and the baking powder. Sieve over the egg mixture. Mix in shortly. 1¾ cup all-purpose flour + 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- Add the buttermilk and incorporate it quickly into the batter.¾ cup buttermilk
- Bake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform. Add the cherries on top. Sprinkle with the coconut flakes. Bake for 20-25 minutes.cherries + 4-5 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut
- Soak the cake: During the last 5 minutes of the baking time, heat the butter and the cream in a small saucepan until the butter is melted; don't let it come to a boil. Remove the cake from the oven and pour the cream mixture evenly all over.¼ cup unsalted butter + ½ cup heavy cream
- Cool the coconut cherry cake for about an hour in the baking dish before transferring it to a wire rack, it needs some time to absorb all the liquid properly.
Notes
- Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking.
- Cherries: You can use pitted fresh cherries, defrosted and drained frozen cherries, or drained canned cherries.
- If you don't have buttermilk, mix ¾ cup milk/ 175 ml with 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar and stir gently. Let sit for 5 minutes before adding to the batter.
April says
My son cannot eat heavy cream, is there an alternative I can use that is lactose free?
Adina says
Hi April. It should work with lactose free cream. Or coconut cream for the soaking. If that's much thicker than regular cream, add just a bit of coconut milk to give it the right consistency.
PAULA BARTON says
Hello. After you pour the butter/cream mixture over the cake, do you put it back in the oven for 5 minutes more?
Adina says
Hi Paula. No, the cake doesn't go back to the oven after soaking. What I meant was that you have to prepare the "soaking ingredients" during the last 5 minutes of baking time, so that you have the mixture ready by the time the cake is finished baking.
Lyn Beales says
When do you add the cherries?
Adina says
Sorry Lyn. It is shown in the pictures, but unfortunately I forgot to write it. The cherries are added directly on the batter and sprinkled with the coconut.
grace says
what a DELICIOUS combo, and one i don't really see very often! gorgeous cake!