A sumptuous treat for breakfast or coffee time! Slices of rich, sweet Cherry Coffee Cake with chocolate chips are so tender and delicious.
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Making recipes like coffee cakes, quick bread, and muffins (such as Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins) is extremely satisfying—don't you agree?
I think it's because they're uncomplicated, yet so comforting and satisfying. The batters come together quickly with no kneading or waiting around for yeast to get busy. Though some of these baked goodies have long bake times, it's worth it for the incredible aroma that fills your kitchen. That bake also gives you time to drink more coffee whilst reading a book or petting the cat.
If you agree with me, then I have prepared you well for this quick bread treat—a Cherry Coffee Cake! And because cherries are just so dang delectable with chocolate, I added a generous handful of chocolate chips to this cherry snack cake.
Why you'll love this recipe
In New England, we love our hot cup of morning and afternoon coffee, especially on chilly days. And rare is the occasion when that cup of joe is not accompanied by something cakey and sweet. Coffee cake recipes like this one, ones that mix together quickly and make the whole smell freaking amazing, make it easy to always have something sweet on hand to make that cuppa even more satisfying.
In the morning a fresh cherry chocolate coffee cake creates quite a buzz in the house—it's at that moment that your family realizes they can set aside the usual boring breakfasts and instead dig into sweet slices of cake.
And make no mistake: even though this coffee cake is loaded with cherries, chocolate, and a sweet, vanilla batter, it absolutely counts as part of a complete breakfast! Just like donuts, Danish, and Coconut Sweet Rolls!
This cherry cake is also a great one to bring to a potluck, brunch, or to a friend who needs some cheering up. Because cherry and chocolate will lift their spirits for sure.
Another coffee cake to try!
Blueberry Lavender Coffee Cake
Topped with toasted walnut streusel.
🔪 How to make Cherry Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients:
- Cherries: You can use fresh or frozen pitted and chopped cherries.
- Flour: My go-to brand of all-purpose flour is King Arthur Baking.
- Chocolate: Use semisweet chocolate chips or even chocolate chunks, from good brands like Ghirardelli or Callebaut.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, cage-free if possible.
- Vanilla Yogurt: Use your favorite brand of regular, vanilla-flavored yogurt. (Not Greek.)
- Butter: Use a good brand of unsalted butter, such as Cabot or Kate's.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar brings sweetness to this cake.
- Leaveners: This cake recipe uses baking soda and baking powder to give it a light, tender texture.
- Salt: Just a pinch helps make all of the flavors in this cake really sing.
Chop the cherries
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Use a sharp knife or food processor to chop the cherries into small pieces.
Make the batter
Mix the dry ingredients. Then mix the butter, sugar, yogurt, and eggs. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, then stir in the cherries and chocolate.
Bake the cake
Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt cake pan. Bake the cake for just over an hour. Allow it to cool, then sprinkle it with powdered sugar.
FAQs
As I wrote in this article for Mashed, coffee cakes evolved over centuries into the treats we think of today. Breads and cakes made with yeast, spices, and fruit were already favorite treats in European countries when coffee debuted in the 1600s. Coffee houses quickly sprang up as trendy gathering places, and pairing that coffee with delectable baked goodies was a no-brainer.
Immigrants from these countries brought their coffee cake recipes with them to the United States in the 1800s—the same century when baking powder and baking soda were invented. Using these leaveners instead of yeast made it easy to bake coffee cakes daily at home or in bakeries.
It's an understandable assumption, but no: the majority of coffee cakes do not contain coffee—they're just delectable snacking cakes that are perfect to enjoy WITH a cup of coffee, or tea. That being said, there are some coffee cake recipes out there that incorporate a splash of coffee, especially in cakes made with chocolate or dried fruits.
Coffee cakes that are made with made with fresh or frozen fruit—like this Cherry Coffee Cake recipe, or other perishable ingredients like sour cream, should be stored in the fridge. The cold helps prevent mold and protects the flavor and quality of the ingredients. The cake should be wrapped tightly to prevent it from drying out.
Coffee cakes made with just spices, sugar, and/or nuts can be wrapped tightly and stored at room temperature.
Whether refrigerated or not, plan to eat your coffee cake within 3 to 4 days of baking it; any longer than this and the cake does inevitably begin to dry out.
One of the differences between tea cake and coffee cake is that tea cakes tend to have a lighter, sponge cake-like texture. They're not overly sweet but may be made with fruits and nuts. Coffee cakes tend to be more dense in texture and sweeter, with sugary swirls of streusel throughout the cake, on top of the cake, or both. Another difference is simply a cultural one, with tea being a more customary drink in some countries than coffee. Coffee cake gets its name not from being made with coffee, but because it's traditional to enjoy it with coffee. The same is true of tea cake.
Tips:
- You can use fresh cherries or frozen cherries when making a cherry coffee cake from scratch. Whichever you use, the cherries should be pitted and chopped.
- For an extra sweet cherry chocolate bread, use milk chocolate or white chocolate chips instead of semisweet!
You will love this fresh cherry coffee cake (or cherry coffee cake with frozen cherries) as much as I do—I just know it! Enjoy it morning, noon, or night. I recommend pairing it with a strong cup of coffee or tea.
The Cherry Coffee Cake recipe with Chocolate Chips is below. Here are more treats that you can enjoy with a cup of coffee:
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Cherry Coffee Cake—with Chocolate Chips
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Ingredients
- 2 cups cherries, fresh or frozen, pitted
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vanilla-flavored yogurt, like Yoplait (Use regular yogurt, not Greek)
- 5 large eggs
- 4 ounces (about 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
Prep the pan and cherries:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10½-inch Bundt pan.
- Place the cherries into a food processor and pulse several times to finely chop them. Set aside.
Make the batter:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 5 minutes until they're light and fluffy. Add in the yogurt and blend to combine. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add in the flour mixture to the bowl in three batches, mixing slowly after each batch until just combined.
- Use a rubber spatula to stir the chocolate and the cherries into the batter. Stir them just until they're mixed in.
- Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spread it to an even layer.
Bake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, checking the cake with a tester inserted into the center. The tester should come out clean—remove the cake from the oven as soon as this happens.
- Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes and then invert it onto a cooling rack.
Dust with sugar and serve:
- Once the cake is cool transfer it to a serving dish. Sprinkle the entire top generously with confectioner's sugar. Cut the cake into wedges to serve.
- Once completely cooled, the cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
- Makes 8 to 10 good-sized servings.
Notes
- You can use fresh cherries or frozen cherries in this recipe. Whichever you use, the cherries should be pitted and chopped.
- For an extra sweet coffee cake, use milk chocolate or white chocolate chips instead of semisweet!
Nutrition
The Armchair Squid says
I've nominated you for an award on my blog.
Nancy Mock says
I am honored, thank you so much! I'll have fun writing up this one 🙂