Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake

In the culinary world, there are some flavors that simply belong together, and for me, cherry and almond are two of those. In this Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake, the fragrant sweetness of almond coupled with bright, tart cherry flavors results in a richly decadent treat that pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea. And the vibrant red color of the cherry filling makes this a dessert that clamors to be made just in time for Valentine’s Day!

This recipe calls for almond paste, which can be found in the baking section of most supermarkets. A mixture of ground up almonds and sugar, almond paste yields an almond-rich flavor like no other. Be sure to use only almond paste, and not its close cousin marzipan, in this recipe. Marzipan has a much higher sugar content, and will result in a cake that is overly sweet. If you’d rather make your own, I posted a recipe for almond paste a couple of years ago. And for another recipe using almond paste, check out my Blueberry-Almond Muffins, which I would argue are the best blueberry muffins you’ll ever make!

2 (15-ounce) cans tart (also called sour) cherries

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) can or 1 (7-ounce) tube almond paste, crumbled into small pieces (about 2-1/2 cups)

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons water

For the filling, bring cherries (with their liquid), sugar and cornstarch to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Mash cherries with potato masher and cook until thick and jam-like, about 25 minutes. Refrigerate until cool.

For the streusel, whisk 1-1/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or fork, blend in melted butter until mixture forms pea-size pieces. Stir in 1/2 cup almond paste; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine remaining flour, baking powder, and remaining salt in a medium bowl. Whisk sour cream, eggs, and extracts together in a small bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat remaining almond paste, remaining sugar, and softened butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sour cream mixture and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, beating just until combined, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. 

Scrape batter into greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Dollop cooled cherry mixture over batter and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle streusel over cherry mixture and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake completely.

For the glaze, combine sugar, extract and water, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.