Ah, Sour Cherry Cake — a classic, slightly tart and sweet dessert 🍒🍰, popular in Central and Eastern Europe. It’s usually made with fresh or frozen sour cherries, a tender sponge or buttery cake base, and sometimes a crumb topping or glaze.
Here’s a delicious version you can make at home:
🍒 Sour Cherry Cake (Hungarian-style / Central European)
Ingredients (8–10 servings)
For the cake:
- 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk
For the topping / filling:
- 2 cups (300 g) pitted sour cherries (fresh or frozen, thawed)
- 2–3 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste depending on cherry tartness)
- Optional: 1 tbsp cornstarch to thicken cherry juice
Optional crumb topping:
- ½ cup (65 g) flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 3 tbsp cold butter, cubed
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Directions
Step 1: Prepare cherries
- If using frozen cherries, thaw and drain excess juice.
- Toss cherries with sugar and cornstarch if desired; set aside.
Step 2: Make the cake batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease and flour an 8-inch (20 cm) round or square pan.
- In a bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into butter mixture, alternating with milk.
Step 3: Assemble
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan.
- Spread cherries evenly over the batter.
- Cover with remaining batter (or gently swirl into the cherries).
Step 4: Optional crumb topping
- Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter until crumbly.
- Sprinkle over the top of the cake.
Step 5: Bake
- Bake 35–45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Tips
- Cherry type: Sour cherries (like Montmorency) give a nice tart-sweet balance.
- Moist cake: If using very juicy cherries, consider lining the pan with parchment to prevent sticking.
- Serving: Dust with powdered sugar or serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
If you want, I can also give a Hungarian “Clafoutis-style” Sour Cherry Cake version — it’s custardy, baked with cherries throughout, and very traditional.
Do you want the clafoutis-style version?
