Name: Cherry Crumb Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 box yellow, butter golden, or white cake mix; ¾ cup whole milk; 3 large eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; ½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 stick); 1 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries, drained, rinsed, and chopped; 1 cup butter at room temperature (2 sticks); 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup packed light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

My easy cherry crumb cake recipe includes a deliciously buttery and crumbly streusel-like topping on a moist yellow cake bursting with cherries.

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You know one of the many things I find interesting is what someone considers to be a treat for themselves. My son loves grabbing a milkshake or a smoothie while out. My daughter is a cantaloupe fanatic (that is putting it mildly), my husband loves fresh cherries, and me? I love a good crumb cake – although I am able to love many desserts at once because I just have such a big heart~winks~.

My favorite crumb cakes are the bakery type with a THICK layer of crumbs. I mean, if you are going to have a piece of cake, why not make it an amazing piece of cake? This recipe hits all the right notes. A nice thick layer of crumbs, bursts of flavorful cherries, and a buttery, not too sweet cake. I know you think it’s going to be overly sweet with that thick layer of crumbs but it really isn’t. In fact, it’s much less sweet than a traditional cake with icing on top. But the beauty of this is that it is also dense and filling, perfect served alongside a cup of coffee or a glass of iced tea, like the one I have pictured.

Fortunately, this cherry crumb cake is very easy to prepare. First, we need to make the cake batter using a cake mix and a jar of maraschino cherries. Told ya it’s just bursting with cherry flavor! Then we add the streusel topping, which includes a combination of flour, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Then pop it in the oven and it will be ready to serve in about 45 minutes.

If you’re in a crumb cake mood, I definitely approve 😉. You may also want to check out these crumb cake recipes: banana crumb cake, pumpkin crumb cake, and apple crumble cake. Okay, my stomach is rumbling just thinking about these delicious cakes, so let’s get baking!

Recipe Ingredients

Cake mix: yellow cake, butter golden, or white cake.
Milk
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Unsalted butter
Maraschino cherries
All-purpose flour
Brown sugar
Ground cinnamon

How to Make Cherry Crumb Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Place the cake mix, milk, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until blended and smooth, scraping down the side of the bowl if needed (about 2 minutes).

Fold chopped cherries in by hand, then pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.

In a separate medium bowl, combine the butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon and cut together using a long-tined fork or pastry cutter until well mixed and crumbly.

Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top of the cake batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 45 minutes). Allow to cool slightly and then sprinkle the top with confectioners’ sugar or powdered sugar, if desired.

Enjoy your cherry coffee cake… I know I will!

Storage

Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes

If you like, add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to your crumb topping for added flavor and texture. Chopped walnuts and pecans are most popular, but you could also use pistachios, hazelnuts, or almonds.
If you use almonds, substitute the vanilla extract for almond extract to enhance the flavor and make a delicious almond cherry crumb cake. You can also use almond milk instead of whole milk.
Another way to add extra flavor to your cherry cake is to add 2 teaspoons of lemon zest or 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg to the crumble topping.
I find maraschino cherries easy to use, but if you like, you can substitute for about a pound of fresh cherries (pitted and chopped) or frozen cherries. For frozen cherries, you’ll need to thaw them before chopping. I’d also recommend tossing the cherries in about a tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter, to ensure they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake. I skip this step with my cherries as I don’t have this problem.