The best cherry crumb cake recipe

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This sour cream cherry crumb cake is the BEST. Rich and buttery with a thick crumb topping, this crumb cake is loaded with fresh cherries and is made from scratch with common pantry ingredients.

Slice of cherry crumb cake with crumb topping on round, white plate. Cherries in background with silver cake server.

Crumb cakes have always been a favorite. It’s the crumb topping that always lures me back. The thicker, the better, like my blueberry crumb cake.

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Sour cream cherry crumb cake from scratch

Why make this cake from scratch? Because the taste of a boxed mix and a can of pie filling doesn’t even come close to the taste of this cake. Trust me.

Squares of crumb cake on white plates with cherries scattered around. Crumb cake with silver cake server in the background.

Making this cake from scratch is not difficult at all, even for beginner bakers. If you have kiddos, get them involved – they can use the cherry pitter and do some of the work for you!

Ingredients for cherry crumb cake

This simple crumb cake recipe uses common ingredients that are likely already in your pantry.

Sour cream – Use full fat, please do not use fat-free.
Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste will give this cake lovely flavor.
Butter – Always use unsalted butter so you are the one in control of the salt.
All-purpose flour – Any brand will do, I used King Arthur flour.
Salt – I used fine sea salt, you can also use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Baking powder and baking soda – Check the dates on these two ingredients if you don’t bake often! If they are expired, you’ll need to replace them.
Sugar – Regular white sugar, nothing fancy.
Eggs – I used large eggs in the recipe.
Fresh cherries – Dark, sweet Bing cherries, or any variety that you find and like.

Procedure

This easy cherry crumb cake is baked in a glass baking dish or 8 inch cake tin that has been buttered and floured or sprayed with non-stick baking spray. Sometimes I make a sling out of parchment paper to ensure it doesn’t stick and it makes it easier to lift the cake out of the pan.

Step by step instruction collage for making cherry crumb cake.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Next, cream butter and sugar together in a separate bowl.
Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream to the sugar and butter.
Mix in the dry ingredients.
Then gently fold cherries into the batter.
Last, cover with crumb topping and bake.

Overhead photo of crumb cake in glass baking pan on white and red towel.

There is just something about a simple crumb cake that I absolutely love. It’s not fussy, it’s suitable as a snack with tea or coffee (for breakfast or dessert) and it is a sweet treat that I happily serve to guests. I’ve never met a single person who doesn’t like a delicious cake covered with a buttery crumb topping.

Recommended tools and equipment

A cherry pitter is without a doubt your most valuable tool when it comes to working with fresh cherries.
Electric hand mixer – No need to break out the stand mixer for this recipe. An electric hand mixer gets the job done.
8 x 8 baking dish – The stand glass baking dish in everyone’s cabinet. You can also use an 8″ cake pan – round or square, just make sure it has tall sides.

Fresh cherry crumb cake from scratch on white plate with cherry in foreground.

Helpful tips and tricks

Make the most of cherry season this summer with a few helpful tips.

How to store fresh cherries?

The key to storing cherries is keeping them dry and cold. Do not wash them before storing them, added moisture can lead to spoilage. Store in plastic bags or containers. I always add a paper towel in the bag to help pull moisture away from the fruit. Stored properly, they will last a little over a week in the fridge.

Can I freeze fresh cherries?

Yes! The best method for freezing fresh cherries is to give them a rinse in cold water, then make sure they are completely dry. Remove the stem and the pits. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for about 5 hours. Place them in a bag and freeze for up to 6 months.

Can I freeze this crumb cake?

Yes – wrap tightly in plastic wrap and seal in a zip-top freezer bag for extra protections again freezer burn. Thaw uncovered, at room temperature. You may want to warm it in a low oven after thawing to help remove any sogginess in the crumb topping.

Two slices of crumb cake recipe with fresh cherries scattered in the background.

More cherry recipes

And there you have it – an easy crumb cake recipe loaded with fresh cherries. It’s a delicious summer treat that everyone will love.

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Yield: 1 cake

Cherry crumb cake

This sour cream cherry crumb cake is rich and buttery with a thick crumb topping and loaded with fresh cherries.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the crumb topping

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. fine salt
1 tsp. nutmeg (or cinnamon)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the crumb cake

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (6.4 oz. / 180grams) + extra for pan
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fine sea salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened + extra for pan
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas mark 4. Adjust oven rack to the middle of the oven.

Make the crumb topping

In a small bowl, mix sugars together with nutmeg (or cinnamon) and salt.
Stir in melted butter.
Using a fork, gently mix in flour, making sure to scrape along the bottom of the bowl as you are mixing to incorporate sugar mixture.
Do not over mix - otherwise, you will not have big pieces of crumb topping. Set aside.

Make the cherry crumb cake

Butter and flour an 8 x 8 glass baking dish or cake pan. Make a sling with parchment paper, if desired, by placing two overlapping strips of parchment in the bottom of the dish.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
In a separate medium bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating egg before adding the second one, then beating to fully incorporate again.
Mix the vanilla and sour cream in and beat to combine.
Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. A few small pockets of flour are ok.
Gently fold cherries into batter. Spoon batter into the baking dish and use an offset spatula if necessary to level the top.
Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the entire cake.
Bake crumb cake for 50 - 65 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
Cool on wire rack before slicing.

The best cherry crumb cake recipe

Sour cream cherry crumb cake from scratch

Ingredients for cherry crumb cake