• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Gift of Hospitality logo

  • Home
    • About
  • Recipes
  • Hospitality How-Tos
  • Newsletter
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
    • About
  • Recipes
  • Hospitality How-Tos
  • Newsletter
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Recipes » Brunch » Cherry Coffee Cake

    Cherry Coffee Cake

    Published: Oct 27, 2020 · Modified: Sep 17, 2022 by Kate Shungu · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe
    sheet pan with Cherry Coffee Cake drizzled with powdered sugar icing.
    slice of cherry coffee cake on a white plate with a fork.
    slice of cherry coffee cake on a white plate with a fork.
    slice of cherry coffee cake on a white plate with a fork.

    Cherry Coffee Cake tastes just like cherry pie! And it’s simple to make, thanks to a little help from a can of cherry pie filling.

    slices of cherry coffee cake on white plates next to a pan of cherry coffee cake.

    I love having guests over for brunch.

    It’s easier than a dinner party, and it just feels more laid back to be serving no-fuss dishes like eggs and pastries.

    This Cherry Coffee Cake with cherry pie filling is a great example of a no-fuss dish. Instead of pitting cherries and making a filling, we’ll use a can of cherry pie filling as a shortcut.

    And you can make it ahead! I’ve made this one day in advance, and then cut and served it the next day.

    I love how the coffee cake adds a pop of color to the table. Along with coffee, an asparagus & gruyere quiche and some praline bacon, it’s perfect for brunch.

    This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate links support Gift of Hospitality at no additional cost to you. I receive a commission if you choose to make a purchase through these links.

    Jump to:
    • Top tips
    • Ingredients
    • How to make cherry coffee cake
    • Can I make cherry coffee cake ahead of time?
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Storage and freezing instructions
    • More brunch recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Related recipes
    • 💬 Reviews

    Top tips

    • It takes a little patience to spread the first layer of dough into the pan. I like using an offset spatula, or spraying a plastic sandwich bag with cooking spray, placing my hand inside the bag, and spreading the dough by hand.
    • Love cherries? You can double the pie filling, or add a (drained) can of cherries to the cherry pie filling for even more cherry flavor.
    • If you don’t have an 11×17 inch pan, you can make this in a 13×9 inch pan. Increase the cooking time by 6–10 minutes.

    Ingredients

    ingredients for cherry coffee cake on a white table.

    – A can of cherry pie filling is the star of this recipe. You can find it in the baking aisle at your local grocery store. Sometimes pie fillings are sold in jars. That’ll work too!
    – Yep, that’s 2 sticks of butter and 4 eggs. This recipe makes 15 servings, at least, and we need both of those ingredients for a light and fluffy coffee cake!
    – Almond extract adds great flavor to the dough, and it complements the cherries perfectly.
    – We’ll make a glaze with powdered sugar to drizzle on top.

    How to make cherry coffee cake

    Start by preheating the oven to 350°F.

    Then, cream together the butter and granulated sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.

    butter and sugar in a white bowl.

    Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and beat until combined.

    butter, sugar, and eggs beaten into a wet batter, in a white bowl.

    Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt with a spatula until the mixture forms a soft dough.

    Take care not to overmix the dough, as that can make it tough. Reserve 1 cup of dough for the topping.

    coffee cake dough in a white bowl alongside a 1-cup measuring cup of dough.

    Spread the remaining dough into a greased 11×17 inch pan. An 11×17 inch pan is often used in vintage recipes, but that size is getting harder and harder to find. I used one that belonged to my grandma!

    Feel free to use one that measures close to that size. You just may need to adjust the cooking time slightly if it’s larger (reduce the cooking time) or smaller (increase the cooking time).

    I find that an offset spatula is easiest for spreading the dough into the pan. It takes a bit of patience to get it spread all over the pan.

    Another trick is to use your hand inside a greased plastic bag. It’s the same trick that I use for marshmallow treats (see a photo of how to do it here).

    dough spread into a pan with an offset spatula sitting on top.

    Spread the cherry pie filling over the dough, and then dollop tablespoons of the reserved dough over the top.

    uncooked cherry coffee cake on a white table.

    Bake for 30–35 minutes in the 350°F preheated oven. The edges will begin to turn golden brown.

    Once the coffee cake has cooled, make the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar and milk.

    Transfer the icing to a small resealable plastic bag and cut a very small corner off of it with kitchen scissors. Drizzle the icing through the corner of the bag and onto the coffee cake.

    pan of cherry coffee cake drizzled with icing.

    Can I make cherry coffee cake ahead of time?

    The coffee cake can be made and left on the countertop for up to one day ahead of serving.

    After it cools, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and leave it on the counter. When you’re ready to serve it, make the icing and drizzle it on top, then serve.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How can I soften butter faster?

    Try these instructions for softening butter in the microwave. Or, to speed up the process on the countertop, cut the butter into small pieces and leave it on the countertop for 30 minutes.

    Can I make this without a hand mixer?

    Yes! Use a stand mixer, if you have one, or you can do it by hand. If you’re doing it by hand, make sure that the butter is very soft so that you can combine it thoroughly with the sugar.

    full pan of cherry coffee cake with topping and powdered sugar icing.

    Storage and freezing instructions

    Cherry Coffee Cake can be kept at room temperature, covered securely with plastic wrap, for 3–4 days. It will keep for several more days if refrigerated.

    To freeze the coffee cake, cut it into slices and wrap the slices in aluminum foil. Place the foil-wrapped slices into a resealable freezer bag.

    Alternatively, you can freeze the whole pan of coffee cake if your freezer is big enough. Wrap the pan in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil.

    The coffee cake will keep in the freezer for 1–2 months. To defrost, place the coffee cake on the countertop at room temperature for 4–6 hours, or until thawed.

    If you are freezing the coffee cake before serving it, I recommend leaving off the powdered sugar icing. After defrosting the coffee cake, drizzle the icing over the top before serving.

    cherry coffee cake on a table with a blue napkin and a white cup of coffee.

    More brunch recipes

    Every brunch needs something savory and something sweet! Since this Cherry Coffee Cake basically tastes like cherry pie, here are a few savory options:

    This Alsatian Quiche is made with bacon and caramelized onions, and people LOVE it. And this Asparagus, Ham, and Gruyere Quiche is great for a springtime brunch.

    I like to serve either bacon or sausage at brunch for the meat eaters. Praline Bacon flies off the table. Or if I’m short on time, frozen sausage is an easy alternative.

    And if you’re a cherry lover, don’t miss this Cherry Dump Cake! It would be a great dessert for brunch.

    Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!

    cup of ambrosia and slice of banana cake.

    📖 Recipe

    slice of cherry coffee cake on a white plate.

    Cherry Coffee Cake with Cherry Pie Filling

    Published by Kate
    This easy coffee cake will be the hit of your next brunch!
    4.45 from 38 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Servings 15 servings
    Calories 380 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the coffee cake:

    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
    • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
    • 4 large eggs
    • ½ teaspoon almond extract
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling

    For the icing:

    • ¾ cup powdered sugar
    • 3 teaspoons milk

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 11×17 inch pan with cooking spray.
    • In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy using a hand mixer. Add eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract, and beat until combined.
    • Stir in the flour, salt, and baking powder just until combined.
    • Reserve 1 cup of dough. Spread the remaining dough in an even layer in the greased 11×17 inch pan. I find that an offset spatula helps to do this easily.
    • Pour the cherry pie filling on top and spread it evenly over the dough.
    • Take tablespoons of the reserved dough and dot it over the top of the pie filling.
    • Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges and cooked through. Let sit until cool.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Transfer it to a small plastic storage bag, and snip off a very small corner of the bag with a pair of kitchen scissors to create a makeshift pastry bag. Drizzle the icing over the coffee cake using the pastry bag. Serve right away!

    Notes

    I recommend using an offset spatula to spread the dough into the pan. 
    An 11×17 inch pan is best for this recipe. That size is getting harder and harder to find, but it’s available on Amazon. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 149mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 1gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 532IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword cherry coffee cake
    Tried this recipe?Follow me at @giftofhospitality and let me know how you liked it!

    Related recipes

    • Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake
    • Cherry Dump Cake with Pineapple
    • Asparagus, Ham, and Gruyere Quiche
    • Praline Candied Bacon
    « Overnight French Toast Casserole
    Crockpot Beef BBQ »
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    kate

    About Kate

    I’m a believer, wife, mom, and big fan of old cookbooks. I live in Chicago with my husband and two young sons. I love discovering old fashioned recipes that will transport you back in time! Read more...

      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Sally says

      December 13, 2022 at 1:12 pm

      4 stars
      I’m not sure what I did wrong but this coffee did not cook in 35 minutes. I had to extend it another 15 minutes to assure that it was cooked through. Otherwise, the dough would have been raw. I live at 7000 feet so I’m not sure if the high altitude had anything to do with it. I’m excited to try this when it is done, as it looks yummy!

      Reply
      • Kate Shungu says

        December 13, 2022 at 5:22 pm

        Yes! Air pressure is lower at high altitudes, so foods can take longer to bake. Hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    2. Derique says

      January 06, 2022 at 11:55 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great coffee cake. I had a difficult time spreading in pan. A warm room temperature made dough super soft so I put dough and pan in refrigerator for five minutes and then I was able to spread it.
      My mom thought it was great to get cake, cherries, and drizzle in each small bit she took. I enjoyed this very much. I liked the cake-shortbread texture a lot and might use recipe to make cookies.
      Will make again.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome

    Kate from Gift of HospitalityI’m Kate. I love discovering old fashioned recipes that will transport you back in time. Learn more here
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Winter Recipes

    bowl of potato soup topped with chopped bacon and parsley.

    Old Fashioned Potato Soup

    beef stroganoff with mushrooms on a bed of egg noodles on a white plate.

    Beef Stroganoff with Cream of Mushroom Soup

    cheesy mashed potatoes in a green bowl, topped with chives and shredded cheddar.

    Extra Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

    stuffed green pepper in a gray casserole dish with other stuffed bell peppers.

    Old Fashioned Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

    old fashioned sloppy joes meat on a brioche bun with pickles.

    Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes

    tuna noodle casserole with potato chips in a white dish.

    Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole

    More Winter Recipes Here....

    Most Popular Recipes

    slice of sausage and egg casserole on a white plate.

    Overnight Sausage and Egg Casserole

    asian cabbage salad in a blue and white decorative bowl.

    Asian Cabbage Salad

    crock pot pork chops in sauce on a white oval platter.

    Crockpot Pork Chops with Mushroom Soup

    slice of ding dong cake in a cake pan with more ding dong cake in the pan.

    Easy Ding Dong Cake

    french toast casserole in a white casserole dish.

    Overnight French Toast Casserole

    ritz cracker sandwiches stacked on a white platter

    RITZ® Crackers Party Sandwiches

    Desserts of the Decades

    Get vintage dessert recipes from throughout the decades, straight to your inbox!

    Web Stories

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Work with me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright Gift of Hospitality © 2022