Maraschino Cherry Cake
Maraschino Cherry Cake recipe uses a boxed cake mix, maraschino cherries and the most amazing, creamy frosting to top it all off!
An Easy and Flavorful Cherry Cake
This easy Maraschino Cherry Cake recipe is not only easy to make but it is absolutely delicious. I promise that everyone will be so impressed and will fall in love with this cake!
Tips For Making Maraschino Cherry Cake
- I think the almond extract is necessary in this recipe. It really turns this from a good cake to an amazing cake. If you absolutely won’t use almond extract or can’t find it, then just leave it out.
- This is a homemade frosting that is incredibly easy. Just make sure your cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature or it won’t mix up nice and smooth.
- You can also purchase a store-bought cream cheese frosting and stir in a little maraschino juice and almond extract.
- This cake needs to be stored, covered in the refrigerator and will keep for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen. Just store in an airtight container and it will keep for up to 3 months.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
How To Make Maraschino Cherry Cake
Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or an electric mixer, start mixing all the ‘wet’ ingredients together: eggs, oil, water, maraschino cherry juice and almond extract
Then add in cake mix. Stir well to combine. If using a stand mixer, you will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure it mixes completely. Gently stir in the chopped maraschino cherries.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before making the frosting. When ready to make the frosting, mix together the softened cream cheese and butter in a large bowl, using an electric mixer.
Then add in powdered sugar (start the mixer on slow so powdered sugar doesn’t fly everywhere). Then add in almond extract and maraschino cherry juice.
Mix until smooth. Then spread that yummy and pretty frosting on the cooled cake.
Top slices with maraschino cherries. And dig in! Because of the cream cheese frosting, this does need to stay refrigerated if not all eaten immediately.
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Maraschino Cherry Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup oil
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 16 maraschino cherries, cut into quarters
For the frosting:
- 4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 Tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or an electric mixer, start mix together 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup oil, 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
- Then add in 1 box vanilla cake mix. Stir well to combine. If using a stand mixer, you will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure it mixes completely.
- Gently stir in 16 maraschino cherries, cut into quarters.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before making the frosting.
- When ready to make the frosting, mix together 4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened to room temperature and 1/3 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature in a large bowl, using an electric mixer or a stand mixer.
- Then add in 2 cups powdered sugar (start the mixer on slow so powdered sugar doesn't fly everywhere.)
- Finally, add in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 1 Tablespoon maraschino cherry juice.
- Mix until smooth then spread onto cooled cake.
- Top slices with maraschino cherries.
Video
Notes
- I think the almond extract is necessary in this recipe. It really turns this from a good cake to an amazing cake. If you absolutely won’t use almond extract or can’t find it, then just leave it out.
- You can also purchase a store-bought cream cheese frosting and stir in a little maraschino juice and almond extract.
- This cake needs to be stored, covered in the refrigerator and will keep for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen. Just store in an airtight container and it will keep for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: July 2016
Updated photos and republished: April 2024
I made this yesterday and the only thing I changed was I substituted milk for the water. I have missed the cherry Timbits from Tim Hortons and I think this tastes just like them!!! This may easily be my new favorite cake!
What type of oil would you recommend? What temperature/length would you cook this cake in a fan forced oven? Thank you.
Any neutral flavored oil. Vegetable or canola oil is what I usually use 🙂
I made these into cupcakes and they were so pretty and delicious.
Can a strawberry cake mix be used in this recipe?
I haven’t personally tried it but I suppose you could
I’ve made this cake before and ot was such a hit. I was asked to make it for a family birthday but with cupcakes. can I use this same recipe to make cupcakes? or does the oven temp and cook time change?
I made this cake for my son’s birthday this weekend, and it is honestly one of the best cakes I’ve ever made. It’s the perfect cake for special occasions, I put a few more maraschino cherries into the batter than called for, as they are his favorite, but followed everything else to the letter. Delicious cake and frosting!
Thanks so very much Debbie! That really means a lot and I appreciate you coming back to comment!
This cake has become a regular in my family, and at get togethers. Now, my granddaughter wants it for her 6th birthday. We all add extra cherries. It is so delicious and always appreciated!
Hi Bev! Thank you SO much! I can’t tell you how much it means when someone takes the time to comment to let me know they enjoy a recipe. It really means the world!
Loved this cake and recipe easy to follow. I did add an extra cup of powdered sugar. Will definitely be making this for any get togethers
I baked this in a rectangular metal pan, and when I checked it at 18 minutes it was done (glad I checked so early!!) So, be careful with the baking time or you might end up with dry, overdone cake.
Recipe author – might be good to update your cooking time so people know it might not take 30 mins.
It takes that long for me and this recipe has been on the website for a long time and I haven’t had anyone else comment on the baking time. I would make sure you are baking on the middle rack (as the top rack will cause it to bake faster – since heat rises so the top half of your oven will always be hotter). In addition, I would recommend you put an oven thermometer on the middle rack in your oven. Your oven may be running hot (which is not uncommon.) I also bake using pyrex or ceramic. I’m just not a fan of metal for baking. I know that is generally what bakers recommend but I always find that it does not heat evenly. Glad you enjoyed this one!
Took it to church. Everyone raved over it & wanted the recipe!
This was delicious and is definitely going on my “go to” dessert list. I replaced most of the water with cherry juice, but other than that, I followed the recipe. I baked my cake in two round pans and made a layer cake. I just had to make a little extra frosting to cover both layers.
I used a white cake mix and added the almond extract and maraschino cherries
had a tub of vanilla frosting for the top which I also added almond extract in as well as the cherries for garnish
yummy in the Tummy
for Xmas dessert
can I make this into a loaf
I’ve never tried. It would definitely be too much batter for one loaf pan.
I love this recipe. I use cherry juice instead of water and on my icing I add several cherries to the top.
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I can not wait to make this! Do you remember Duncan Hines had a cherry cake mix and fluffy frosting in boxes. They were great! The cake mix had a can of the cherries in juice. I love all the recipes you share and your easy to follow instructioins.
Oh my goodness – I do remember those! That brings back some memories! I wonder why they ever did away with it??
I made this recently, it was so moist and flavors great but remember at a pot luck someone had a cherry cake ehich had mini chocolate chips and used a homemade chocolate frosting. Do you think I could add chocolate chips to this recipe.
I made this cake for my mom’s 75 th birthday. It was “so good”, I’m making it for Mother’s Day too . Thank You for such a wonderful recipe that I can share with my family.
This looks amazing!! I’m going to make it for Valentine’s Day and I think I will make it into cupcakes. I can’t wait. I’ll keep you posted!!
Hope you love it! This is one of my most favorite recipes on my site!
Im allergic to almonds, can i use vanilla extract?
Yes, absolutely! Or you don’t even need to add any extract 🙂
Excellent The only thing i did different is use more cherries in the batter. A definite keeper!
This recipe is ahhhh-mazing! I didn’t expect my family of 6 to like it (there’s usually someone nay-saying) but it got rave reviews all around. Thank you!
Could I make these into cupcakes? I’m sure I could but I’m wondering if anyone’s ever tried and if there’s any tips out there.
I have made cupcakes using this recipe twice. It made 24 cupcakes and I baked for 18 min. They turned out perfect. I do add one box of vanilla instant pudding along with the cake mix. Be sure not to overbake. Everyone loves them!
Can I use more cherry juice in place of all that water & can I double the amount of chopped cherries I put in it?
This cake is easy and tastes amazing. I made it for Easter and everyone loved it so much that now I make it for Christmas too.
Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review Lori!! So happy you love this one!
That looks so good! I love maraschino cherries (and cake!) so this is on my must make list!
You will love this cake!
Can I use an angel food cake mix?
I have made it with angel food cake mix and a conf sugar glaze. It is scrumptious
Wow! This was so good!!
WHOA!! Outstanding recipe and it is so pretty!
Made it exactly to the recipe. We all loved it!
This is a very good cake recipe. It is easy to make. I like that it starts with a cake mix but the added ingredients make it special. It is moist and really good. I served it to company and it everyone liked it.
Hey Chris! I am so happy you loved this one! Sure do appreciate you coming back to comment on it!
Do you use 4 ounces of cream cheese for the icing or 1/2 of a 4 oz. block?
I didn’t know they sold a 4 ounce block. It’s 4 ounces total which is half a standard 8 ounce block 🙂
Thank you for this recipe. Very good and very easy.
Oh WOW! That cake is gorgeous. I can hear it calling…even screaming…my name. =) Do you deliver? YUM.
For you, yes! This is my new favorite.