Easy Maraschino Cherry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Introduction & Inspiration

Get ready for a delightfully pink, moist, and flavorful cake bursting with the unique sweetness of maraschino cherries and a hint of almond! This Maraschino Cherry Cake is incredibly easy to make, starting with a simple vanilla cake mix that we doctor up with cherry juice and extracts. Studded with chopped cherries and topped with a tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting also flavored with cherry and almond, it’s a truly cheerful treat.

My inspiration for this recipe comes from wanting a simple sheet cake that felt fun, nostalgic, and a little bit different. Maraschino cherries have such a distinct flavor and color that instantly brightens up any dessert, and pairing them with almond extract and cream cheese frosting creates a wonderful flavor combination.

This cake is perfect for birthday parties (especially for cherry lovers!), potlucks, spring gatherings, or anytime you need an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that’s both pretty and delicious. It’s incredibly straightforward to whip up! It is a perfect simple cake recipe.

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Factor

Maraschino cherries themselves are pure nostalgia for many, evoking images of ice cream sundaes, Shirley Temple drinks, retro fruit cakes, and festive garnishes. Simple sheet cakes with creamy frosting are also a staple of comforting home baking and casual celebrations.

This recipe combines the fun, almost kitschy nostalgia of maraschino cherries with the familiar comfort of an easy sheet cake and tangy cream cheese frosting. The sweet cherry-almond flavor profile feels both classic and playfully retro.

It’s a cheerful, sweet treat that’s likely to bring back fond memories while creating new ones. A perfect cake for parties.

Homemade Focus (Easy Assembly with Mixes)

This recipe cleverly utilizes a vanilla cake mix as a convenient starting point, making the cake batter incredibly easy to prepare. The homemade focus shines through in the “doctoring” of the mix – substituting water with flavorful maraschino cherry juice, adding almond extract, and folding in chopped cherries.

Furthermore, the delicious cream cheese frosting is made entirely from scratch, whipping together softened butter and cream cheese with powdered sugar and flavorings for a result far superior to canned frosting. Even with the cake mix shortcut, assembling these components creates a satisfying homemade dessert.

It celebrates how simple additions and a homemade frosting can elevate a basic cake mix into something special and flavorful. The perfect balance between homemade and store-bought.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is a moist, tender cake distinctly flavored with sweet maraschino cherry and warm almond extract, balanced by a tangy and sweet cream cheese frosting. The vanilla cake mix provides a subtle background note.

The cake crumb should be soft and very moist, with pleasant bursts of texture and flavor from the chopped cherries distributed throughout. The frosting should be smooth, creamy, tangy from the cream cheese, and carry complementary notes of almond and maraschino cherry juice.

The overall experience should be a sweet, fruity, almond-scented cake with a creamy, tangy topping – a delightful and cheerful flavor combination. A perfect balance between flavour and texture.

Ingredient Insights

For the Cake:

• Vanilla Cake Mix: The convenient base. Use a standard size box (15.25 oz).
• Large Eggs: Provide structure and richness. Room temperature recommended.
• Vegetable Oil: Ensures a moist cake crumb.
• Water & Maraschino Cherry Juice: The liquid components. The cherry juice (from the jar of maraschino cherries) replaces some water, adding flavor, sweetness, and potentially a slight pink tint.
• Almond Extract: Provides a distinct warm, nutty flavor that pairs classically with cherries.
• Maraschino Cherries (Quartered): Provide bursts of sweet cherry flavor and texture. Drain well and chop before folding in.

For the Frosting:

• Cream Cheese (Softened): Creates the tangy, creamy base. Use full-fat, brick-style, properly softened for smoothness.
• Salted Butter (Softened): Adds richness, structure, and balances sweetness (using salted butter). Ensure properly softened.
• Powdered Sugar (Sifted): Sweetens and provides structure. Sifting prevents lumps.
• Almond Extract: Reinforces the almond flavor from the cake.
• Maraschino Cherry Juice: Adds moisture, subtle cherry flavor, and potentially a pale pink tint to the frosting.

Essential Equipment

• 9×13 Inch Baking Dish: Standard size for sheet cakes. Needs to be greased/sprayed.
• Large Mixing Bowl: For cake batter.
• Medium Mixing Bowl: For frosting.
• Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer): Recommended for both cake batter (per instructions) and especially for whipping the frosting light and fluffy.
• Whisk (Optional): Could be used for initial wet ingredients if not using mixer.
• Rubber Spatula: For scraping bowls and folding in cherries.
• Measuring Cups & Spoons:
• Wire Cooling Rack: Essential for cooling the cake completely before frosting.
• Offset Spatula or Knife: For spreading frosting evenly.

Ingredients

(Based on 1x column)

For the Cake:

• ▢ 1 box vanilla cake mix (15.25 ounces)
• ▢ 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ ¾ cup water
• ▢ ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice (from the jar)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 16 maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry, and cut into quarters (about 1/2 – 2/3 cup chopped)

For the Frosting:

• ▢ 4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ▢ ⅓ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature (approx. 5.3 tbsp)
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• ▢ ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon maraschino cherry juice

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare Oven and Pan:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish well with non-stick cooking spray (or grease and flour). Set aside.

2. Mix Wet Cake Ingredients:

• In a large mixing bowl, using a stand mixer or an electric handheld mixer, combine the 3 large eggs, ½ cup oil, ¾ cup water, ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice, and ½ teaspoon almond extract.
• Mix on medium-low speed until everything is well combined.

3. Add Dry Ingredients:

• Lower the mixer speed to low. Add the dry vanilla cake mix directly to the wet ingredients in the bowl.
• Mix on low speed just until the cake mix is incorporated and the batter is mostly smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure no dry pockets remain. Be careful not to overmix.

4. Fold in Cherries and Bake:

• Drain the maraschino cherries well, pat them slightly dry, and cut them into quarters.
• Gently fold the quartered maraschino cherries into the prepared cake batter using a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 inch baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
• Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes initially. (Note: Original instructions stop here for baking time, typical 9×13 cakes take 28-35 mins. Adding standard time below).
• Continue baking for another 13-20 minutes (total 28-35 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached. (Start checking around the 25-minute total mark as ovens vary).  

5. Cool the Cake:

• Carefully remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire cooling rack.
• Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before frosting. This may take 1-2 hours.

6. Make the Frosting:

• While the cake cools (or once cooled), make the frosting. Ensure the cream cheese and butter are properly softened to room temperature.
• Using either a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese and softened salted butter on medium-high speed for 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth and creamy.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition. Scrape down the sides as needed.
• Add the ½ teaspoon almond extract and 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip for 1-2 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and well combined. If frosting seems too stiff, add another tiny splash of cherry juice or milk; if too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar.

7. Frost and Serve:

• Once the cake is completely cool, spread the prepared frosting evenly over the top of the cake directly in the pan.
• Slice into squares and serve. Enjoy your delightful Maraschino Cherry Cake!

Troubleshooting

• Cake Dry: Overbaked. Check for doneness starting around 25 minutes total bake time. Using oil should help keep it moist.
• Cake Dense: Overmixed the batter after adding the cake mix. Mix just until combined. Ensure leaveners in cake mix were fresh.
• Cherries Sank: Cherries might have been too wet, or batter slightly thin. Patting cherries dry after draining and lightly tossing them with 1 tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter can help prevent sinking.  
• Frosting Too Stiff: Too much powdered sugar, or butter/cream cheese too cold. Let sit at room temp slightly, then beat in cherry juice/milk 1 tsp at a time.
• Frosting Too Soft/Runny: Butter/cream cheese too warm/melty. Too much liquid added. Try chilling the frosting bowl for 15-20 minutes, then re-whipping. Use full-fat block cream cheese.
• Frosting Grainy: Powdered sugar not sifted, or cream cheese/butter not fully softened/creamed smooth initially.

Tips and Variations

• Room Temp Ingredients: Important for cake batter (eggs) and crucial for frosting (butter, cream cheese) for smooth results.
• Don’t Overmix: Mix batter just until combined. Whip frosting until light and fluffy but don’t overwhip into graininess.
• Maraschino Juice: Use the juice directly from the jar of cherries for authentic flavor and color.
• Even Cherries: Chop cherries relatively uniformly and fold gently to distribute without crushing them.
• Cake Mix Flavors: White cake mix or cherry chip cake mix could be fun variations.
• Extracts: Use only vanilla extract in cake/frosting if you don’t like almond. A touch of lemon extract could add brightness.
• Garnish: Top the frosted cake with whole or halved maraschino cherries, sprinkles, or white chocolate shavings.
• Add Coconut/Nuts: Fold 1/2 cup shredded coconut or chopped pecans/walnuts into the cake batter.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

• Serve at Room Temperature or Slightly Chilled: Depending on frosting preference.
• Sheet Cake Squares: Easy serving directly from the 9×13 pan.
• Potlucks & Parties: Fun, colorful, and easy dessert to share.
• With Milk or Coffee/Tea: Classic pairings for a sweet cake.

Nutritional Information

(Note: Estimated, per serving, assuming 12-15 servings from a 9×13 pan. Very sweet dessert, variable based on cake mix brand.)

• Calories: 350-450+
• Fat: 18-28g+
• Saturated Fat: 6-12g+
• Cholesterol: 50-70mg+
• Sodium: 300-450mg+ (Cake mixes and salted butter contribute)
• Total Carbohydrates: 45-60g+
• Dietary Fiber: <1g
• Sugars: 30-45g+ (Very sweet)
• Protein: 3-5g+

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Summary: This Easy Maraschino Cherry Cake uses a vanilla cake mix doctored with maraschino cherry juice, almond extract, oil, and eggs, with chopped cherries folded in. It’s baked as a 9×13 sheet cake and cooled completely. The cake is topped with a homemade cream cheese frosting flavored with almond extract and maraschino cherry juice.  

Q&A:

• Q: Can I use fresh or frozen cherries instead of maraschino cherries?
  • A: Maraschino cherries provide a very specific, sweet flavor and color. Fresh or frozen cherries (thawed and well-drained) would work, but the flavor profile would be different (likely more tart) and wouldn’t have the classic “maraschino” taste. You’d also need to substitute the maraschino juice in the cake/frosting with milk or water.
• Q: Why use only egg whites (previous recipe Q) vs whole eggs here?
  • A: Using only egg whites (as some cake mix doctoring suggests) typically yields a whiter, lighter cake crumb, ideal for vibrant colors like purple. Using whole eggs (as in this recipe) adds more richness and fat from the yolks, contributing to moisture and a slightly denser, yellower crumb, which is perfectly fine for this flavor profile.
• Q: My cake has a slightly artificial taste. Why?
  • A: This can sometimes come from the maraschino cherry juice/cherries themselves or the almond extract, especially if using imitation extracts. Using pure extracts and good quality cherries can help. The flavor is intentionally reminiscent of that sweet, distinct maraschino/almond profile.
• Q: How should I store this cake?
  • A: Due to the cream cheese frosting, store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Let slices sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving for the best frosting texture.