Want a treat that is rich in layers and flavorst? Look no further! Our cherry sour cream sheet cake delivers just that with its sweet cake paired perfectly with tangy cherries and rich cream. Despite its complex and, dare we say, romantic appearance this recipe is also totally beginner-friendly!
Baking Our Cherry Sour Cream Sheet Cake: Easier than It Looks
If you’re like me, then there are few pleasures greater than a slice of cake and coffee, or better yet, glass of wine. Of course, you might want to go big sometimes. Especially now, after the long winter months, where an end is slowly in sight, there’s an earnest longing for sweet treats that reflect the bright days ahead. Our cherry sour cream sheet cake is one such delight, and the canned cherries it calls for make the recipe doable all-year round.
Our cherry sour cream sheet consists of three gorgeous layer: At the base is an airy sponge cake base, followed by a rich sour cream layer, and topped with a tart yet tangy cherry topping. Together the three make for a cake that pops in appearance and flavor.
Making the sponge cake base for this cake is easy enough. First you’ll need to make sure you have flour, cornstarch, sugar and eggs. Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the remaining ingredients, including the egg whites, together. Be careful when folding to avoid losing volume by overmixing.
While the base is baking, prepare the sour cream filling. Start by whipping up a vanilla instant pudding and then mix it with sour cream. It should already be nice and thick. Adding a bit of cornstarch to the pudding will help firm up the cream, making the cake easier to serve.
Now all that’s left is the literal cherry on top! The cherry layer consists of canned morello cherries with their juice and red gelatin glaze. This will give the cake a bright flavor and pop of bold color. Spread the sour cream evenly onto the sponge cake and then evenly coat with the cherry-gelatin topping. Give yourself a pat on the back! Now all that’s left is letting your cherry sour cream sheet cake refrigerate for a few hours. This step is important, because it will give time for everything to set, making the cake easier to slice and enjoy.
Your cherry sour cream sheet cake will actually keep for several days if you keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. Meaning, you can easily make it a day ahead and have a perfect dessert for guests or any spontaneous cake craving. No matter the occasion, our cherry sour cream sheet cake is always sure to make a splash!
There are so many different ways to bake a cake! How lucky we are that there is such a wealth of decadent recipes to draw upon like our strawberry cream sheet cake, hot milk cake, and butter cake recipes.
Cherry Sour Cream Sheet Cake
Equipment
- 1 13×9 inch baking pan
Ingredients
For the base:
- 5 eggs
- 1 pinch of salt
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
For the sour cream layer:
- 2 cups milk
- 2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 tbs sugar
- 2¾ cups sour cream
For the cherry layer:
- 3½ cups Morello cherries canned, drained
- 1 package cherry Gelatin e.g. Jell-O
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Then, gradually add the sugar. Now, stir in the egg yolks one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch. Sift this mixture over the egg mixture and gently fold to combine.
- Spread the batter evenly on the baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Let it cool completely.
- For the sour cream layer, combine the milk, sugar, and instant pudding mix in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a pudding.
- Once the cream has properly cooled, stir in the sour cream. Then spread the cream evenly over the sponge cake base.
- Drain the cherries well, but hang on to the cherry juice and set aside. Prepare a cherry gelatin glaze according to package instructions using cherry juice and water.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the glaze to set firmly.