Description
Sweet dreams bloom in this delicate cherry blossom dream cake, where Japanese-inspired elegance meets delightful pastry artistry. Gentle pink hues and subtle floral notes invite you to savor a slice of pure culinary enchantment.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
- 3 large eggs
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter (for cake)
Liquid and Flavoring Ingredients:
- 0.25 cup vegetable oil
- 0.5 cup maraschino cherry juice
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice (for frosting)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (for frosting)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
Optional Ingredients:
- Pink or red food coloring
Garnish:
- Whole maraschino cherries with stems
Instructions
- Prepare oven to 350F (175C) and ready two 8-inch round cake pans by greasing and dusting with flour.
- Whisk together dry ingredients including flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- In a large bowl, cream butter, oil, and sugar until achieving a light, airy texture. Incorporate eggs individually, ensuring thorough mixing after each addition. Blend in almond extract.
- Gradually combine dry ingredients and buttermilk into the creamed mixture, alternating and finishing with dry ingredients. Fold in maraschino cherry juice and chopped cherries. Optional: Add food coloring for desired pink hue.
- Distribute batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted centrally emerges clean.
- Allow cakes to rest in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks for complete cooling.
- For frosting, beat butter until smooth and creamy in a large bowl. Progressively add powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly and scraping bowl edges.
- Introduce maraschino cherry juice, vanilla extract, and salt to frosting mixture. Blend until uniform. Adjust color with food coloring if desired.
- Once cooled, position first cake layer on serving plate. Spread frosting generously across the layer.
- Place second cake layer atop the first and frost entire cake surface, covering top and sides completely.
- Decorate cake top with whole maraschino cherries just before serving.
- Serve at room temperature to maximize flavor and texture enjoyment.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth batter mixing and even cake texture.
- Carefully fold cherries into batter to prevent sinking and maintain distribution throughout the cake.
- Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the cake tender and light, stopping when ingredients are just combined.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to maintain the cake’s delicate structure.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 452 kcal
- Sugar: 52 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg