Vintage Maraschino Cherry Cake
A nostalgic, butter-rich sheet cake studded with bright red maraschino cherries and a hint of cherry syrup, perfect for celebrations.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup maraschino cherry juice
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix-ins
- 1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped Reserve a few whole cherries for garnish.
Frosting
- 1 container creamy frosting (store-bought or homemade buttercream)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line with parchment.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy—about 3–4 minutes with a hand mixer.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Baking
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk: start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined—avoid overmixing.
- Fold in the chopped maraschino cherries and the cherry juice.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Frost the cooled cake with your creamy frosting and garnish with whole maraschino cherries.
Notes
For richer flavor, use buttermilk instead of milk. For dairy-free options, replace milk with unsweetened almond or oat milk and use plant-based butter.