This almond cherry coffee cake is unique because it cooks fresh cherries with the pits in order to enhance the almond flavor. And almond extract in the cake batter along with sliced almonds in the streusel make this a super delicious nutty and fruity cake!
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The German version of this cherry almond coffee cake is called Kirschstreuselkuchen, which translates to "cherry streusel cake". The crunchy brown sugar streusel with sliced almonds provides a crunchy texture, which tastes great with the fruity cherry filling.
This cake was inspired by my other cherry cake recipes, including Kirschkuchen, traditional Black Forest Cake, and cream cheese cherry torte.
And if you love the crunchy brown sugar streusel topping, I have a ton more streusel coffee cakes on the blog! One of my favorites (if I haaaad to choose) is my plum yogurt cake in the summer, and my spiced applesauce cake in the fall.
Growing up in Germany, I looked forward to getting weekly fresh cherries in summer from the fruit stand near our house. We'd get a big paper cone of cherries, and snack on them throughout the week.
This almond cherry coffee cake reminds me of those summers in Germany. Except this cake can be made with canned cherries or even cherry pie filling, so you can enjoy it year round!
Enjoy a slice with a cup of coffee for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Or serve it with vanilla ice cream for dessert!
American vs. German Coffee Cake
A lot of American coffee cakes include sour cream in the cake batter to create a moist texture.
However, sour cream is not a common ingredient in German baking. You can still achieve a delicious, light texture in this almond cherry coffee cake with milk.
Ingredients & Notes
- Cherries - Fresh cherries are delicious, but you can also use canned cherries, cherry jam, or cherry pie filling.
- Quick cooking tapioca - Also called minute tapioca. It thickens the cherry sauce so it doesn't seep too much into the cake batter , making it dense and gummy.
- Sliced almonds - Adds a crunchy texture to the streusel. You can also use chopped almonds, but whole almonds are too big.
- All purpose flour - Provides the base structure for the streusel and cake.
- Brown sugar - Adds sweetness and moisture to the streusel along with a caramel flavor. You could substitute granulated sugar.
- Cinnamon - Adds a warm spiced flavor that tastes great with almonds and cherries.
- Unsalted butter - Softened butter is added to the cake to create a light, fluffy texture & rich flavor. Unsalted butter allows you to control the exact amount of salt in your recipe, unlike salted butter.
- Granulated sugar - Sweetens the cake and helps whip air into the butter to create a light texture. It also sweetens the cherry layer.
- Eggs - Binds the cake batter together & helps it rise in the oven.
- Almond extract - Adds the essential almond flavor to an almond coffee cake. I don't recommend using vanilla extract, since that would remove the essential almond flavor.
- Milk - Adds a tender texture to the cake. You could also use buttermilk, but I don't recommend substituting water.
- Salt - I recommend using non-iodized table salt or fine sea salt for the best enhancement of all the other flavors.
- Baking powder and Baking soda - Leaven the cake batter so it rises in the oven.
How to Make this Recipe
Below is the process to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. In a small saucepan, boil the cherries, water, and sugar.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes.
3. Remove & discard the pits. Add the cherries into a bowl with the juice. Add the tapioca and stir. Set aside to cool and thicken.
5. Beat the softened butter and sugar until it is pale and fluffy.
7. Add the milk and mix for another minute.
9. Spread the cake batter into the greased cake pan.
11. Sprinkle the almond streusel on top.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the almond streusel ingredients.
Crumble the mixture into small pieces. Set aside.
6. Add the eggs and almonds extract. Mix again until it's well combined.
8. Add the dry ingredients and gently mix it.
10. Spread the cherry jam on top of the cake batter.
12. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes.
Why Cook Cherries with the Pits?
I know it may seem weird to cook the cherries with the pits still in them. But hear me out!
Cherry pits taste like almonds, and when you cook cherries with the pits intact, that almond flavor is really noticeable.
That's because cherry pits (or stones) contain a compound called benzaldehyde which is used to produce both synthetic almond and cherry flavors.
Of course, after cooking the cherries, you need to remove the pits, since they're really hard (you could chip a tooth!) And they can be toxic if eaten in high quantities, like apple seeds.
Recipe Tips
- Crunchy Texture: You can mix a few tablespoons of finely chopped almonds into the cake batter for an added crunchy texture, and more almond flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: For a fancy finish, dust powdered sugar on the cake once it comes out of the oven.
- Sliced Almonds: I find it nearly impossible to slice whole almonds evenly, so it's easiest to buy them from the store. If you can get them in a small amount in bulk, even better!
- Homemade Cherry Sauce: If you don't have fresh cherries, you can make cherry sauce from canned cherries. Or substitute store-bought cherry jam or cherry pie filling.
Variations
- Glaze: You could make a glaze to drizzle on top of the cake, like my gingerbread cake.
- Square Cake: Instead of a round cake, you can bake this in an 8x8 or 9x9 square baking pan.
- Rectangle Cake: You can bake this cake in a 9x13 pan, but it'll be a lot thinner, so reduce the baking time as needed.
- Buttermilk: If you want an even more tender cake, you can replace the milk with buttermilk. The acidity will create a more delicate texture.
- Fruit Variations: You can use other fruit instead of cherry pie filling, like applesauce, or strawberries & blueberries.
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowls
- Large Spoon or Spatula
- small saucepan
- hand mixer - You can also use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- fine mesh sieve - If you don't have a sieve, you can just use your fingers to pop the pits out of the cooked cherries once they cool.
- 9-inch round cake pan - I recommend using a springform pan or a cake pan with a removable bottom for easier slicing.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Wrap the cake in plastic wrap or store under a cake dome at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days.
- Fridge: Store in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 4 days. You can also store individual slices in airtight containers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is tapioca used in the cherry filling?
I like using quick-cooking tapioca because it keeps fruit fillings vibrant and clear, rather than turning them cloudy. Tapioca also doesn't need to be dissolved or boiled, so it's really easy to use.
Can I use cornstarch to thicken the cherry jam instead?
Yes, you can use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch instead of the quick-cooking tapioca to thicken the cherry jam. But you'll need to put the mixture back on the stove to boil for one minute, in order to activate the cornstarch's thickening agent.
Can I use cherry pie filling instead?
Instead of making homemade cherry jam for this almond cherry coffee cake, you can use canned cherry pie filling. Or use canned cherries instead of fresh cherries. Just note that it won't have as much almond flavor.
Can I use blueberries instead?
The flavor will be totally different, but you could swap out blueberries for the cherries. I still recommend cooking the blueberries first, so follow the recipe for that in my Lemon and Blueberry Torte.
Related Recipes
Looking for more German cake recipes like this? Try these:
German Almond Cherry Coffee Cake
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowls
- Large Spoon or Spatula
- small saucepan
Ingredients
Cherry Jam
- 1 pound cherries (stems removed, but pits left in)
- 2 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca (also called minute tapioca)
Almond Streusel
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
Coffee Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
Make the Cherry Jam
- In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, add all the cherries (with the stems removed but the pits still inside), water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes. Use the back of your spoon to smash the cherries against the side of the pan.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Strain the juice into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Remove & discard the pits. Add the cherries into the bowl with the juice.
- Add the quick-cooking tapioca, and stir. Set aside to cool and thicken.
Make the Almond Streusel
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the almond streusel ingredients (sliced almonds, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter).
- Use a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, or your fingers to crumble the mixture into small pieces, until it looks like wet sand. Set aside.
Make & Bake the Coffee Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar until it is pale and fluffy, after a few minutes.
- Add the eggs and almonds extract and beat the mixture again on a medium to high speed until it's well combined.
- Add the milk and mix for 30 seconds.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a large spoon or spatula until you no longer see dry pockets of flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula or spoon to ensure everything is well mixed.
- Spread the cake batter into the greased cake pan in an even layer. Spread the cherry jam on top of the cake. Sprinkle the streusel on top.
- Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Slice and enjoy!!
Notes
- Crunchy Texture: You can also mix a few tablespoons of finely chopped almonds into the cake batter for an added crunchy texture, and more almond flavor.
- Sliced Almonds: I find it nearly impossible to slice whole almonds evenly, so it's easiest to buy them from the store. You can substitute chopped almonds.
- Cherry Pits: Make sure you get the pit out of each cherry. A bite into a cherry pit could chip a tooth! If you don't have a fine mesh sieve, let the cherries cool then remove the pits with by hand.
- Cherry Jam: If you don't have fresh cherries, you can make your cherry sauce from canned cherries. Or substitute store-bought cherry jam or cherry pie filling.
- Storing: Wrap leftover cooled cake in plastic wrap or store under a cake dome at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days.
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