Easy Cardamom Cherry Snack Cake | One-Bowl Recipe with Frozen Cherries
This Easy Cardamom Cherry Snack Cake comes together in just one bowl using simple pantry staples and frozen cherries. Sweetened with monk fruit sweetener, it’s a lighter treat that’s perfect for breakfast, afternoon coffee, brunch, or dessert.
This cherry snack cake is a simple homemade one that is moist, tender, lightly spiced, and wonderfully fragrant thanks to ground cardamom and a touch of almond extract—which are a delightful pairing with cherries.
A Quick Glance at this Cardamom Cherry Snack Cake
- Easy one-bowl recipe with minimal cleanup.
- Ready in about 40 minutes.
- Made with frozen cherries—which are more economical than fresh cherries and available year round.
- Sweetened with monk fruit sweetener to keep the sugar content low.
- Moist and tender crumb cake that is perfect as a snack cake, breakfast cake, or simple dessert.
- Only 190 calories per slice.
Ingredients
- Frozen cherries, thawed
- Large Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Monk fruit sweetener (granulated, 1:1 sugar replacement)
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cardamom
- Almond extract
How to Make Cardamom Cherry Snack Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Lightly grease A 9×9-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, Use a spoon or whisk to mix together the flour, baking powder, monk fruit sweetener, baking soda, salt, and ground cardamom.
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil, and almond extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Chop the thawed cherries into pieces, toss them in a little flour, and then fold in the cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips for the Best Cherry Snack Cake
- Don’t over mix the batter—mix just until everything is combined. Over mixing can result in a dense cake. If you happen to over mix this, and the resulting cake bakes dense, then brush on some simple syrup to moisten it.
- Thaw the cherries. Pat them dry if they release a lot of liquid to avoid an overly wet cake, which could result in a gummy cake. Tossing the cherries in flour before adding them to the batter also helps keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake as it bakes.
Ingredient Substitutions
Use Fresh Cherries instead of frozen cherries.
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Gluten free all-purpose flour can be used instead of regular AP Flour. If you happen to have self raising flour on hand, use that instead and omit the baking powder and salt. You will still need to add in baking soda though.
Melted butter or avocado oil can be used instead of vegetable oil.
Granulated sugar can be used instead of monk fruit sweetener. I have found that some other zero-sugar sweeteners like allulose change the texture and taste of this cake so refrain from using those.
If you don’t have cardamom on hand, use 1/2 a teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ginger. Cardamom can also be substituted with apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
Serving Suggestions
This easy cherry cake is delicious served:
- Warm with a mug of coffee or tea.
- Cooled and topped with this maple brown sugar icing or this dairy-free chocolate frosting.
- Served with vanilla Greek yogurt for breakfast.
- Alongside some dairy-free pistachio ice cream for dessert.
Storage
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. The cake also freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap individual slices for quick grab-and-go treats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why this flavor combination?
Cardamom’s invitingly warm, slightly citrusy flavor complements the sweet-tart taste of cherries while the almond extract enhances both flavors.
Can I use fresh cherries instead of frozen?
Absolutely! Fresh, pitted cherries work just as well in this recipe. However, if your cherries are not ripe, they might not be as sweet as the frozen ones used in this recipe.
Can I use frozen cherries without thawing them?
I would advise against doing so in this recipe. The frozen cherries will have a lot of liquid in them that will be released as this cake bakes and it could affect the texture of the cake batter and cake. For the best results, thaw the frozen cherries by placing them in a bowl on the kitchen counter until they loose their chill and are close to room temperature.
Can I make this cake gluten free?
Definitely! The all-purpose flour can be substituted with a gluten-free flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill GF AP Baking Flour.
More Easy Cake Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy simple snack cakes, be sure to check out these easy cake recipes featuring seasonal fruit, pantry ingredients, and warm spices.
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen cherries (thawed)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup monk fruit sweetener (can be replaced with granulated sugar which is more economical)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 teaspoon Ground cardamom
- 3/4 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Lightly grease A 9×9-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a spoon or whisk to mix together the flour, baking powder, monk fruit sweetener, baking soda, salt, and ground cardamom.
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil, and almond extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Chop the thawed cherries into pieces, toss them in a little flour, and then fold in the cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- Don’t over mix the batter—mix just until everything is combined. Over mixing can result in a dense cake. If you happen to over mix this, and the resulting cake bakes dense. Then brush on some simple syrup to moisten it.
- Thaw the cherries. Pat them dry if they release a lot of liquid to avoid an overly wet cake, which could result in a gummy cake. Tossing the cherries in flour before adding them to the batter also helps keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake as it bakes.
- Serve this cake with some maple brown sugar icing or this dairy-free chocolate frosting.
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Enter your email and I’ll send you this recipe to you. Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!
