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I’ve got another pink cake for you today! I’ve really got pink fruits on the brain lately, I guess. See: strawberry & blackberry. And now cherry!

I’m not mad about it.

Did I mention there’s bourbon in it? It’s been a minute since I made a boozy cake, and I love how this one turned out!

BOURBON CHERRY FILLING & FROSTING

Obviously I’m here for the naturally pink frosting, but the real star of this show is the BOURBON CHERRY JAM. Ohhh yes. It’s super flavorful with a little zip from the bourbon. It’s sweet and everything you want it to be when it comes to confections and sweet treats. It needs to go on everything.

I puréed some cherries, threw them in a saucepan with sugar, bourbon, and cornstarch, and let it simmer for a little while on the stove. And then boom! You’ve got homemade jam. It’s super easy to make and pretty hands off once you combine everything in the saucepan. Just let it cook and stir every now and then.

Not only does it go between the cake layers, it goes into the frosting too! That’s how we get the lovely pink hue. 🤩

If you’d like to leave the bourbon out, you certainly can! Maybe bump up some of the vanilla to add a little extra flavor.

VANILLA BEAN CAKE

This cake is my favorite yellow cake recipe, but with the addition of vanilla bean paste, which just really amps up that delicious vanilla flavor. I love this cake recipe because it’s no-fuss and always comes out soft and slightly dense. To be completely honest with y’all, sometimes I just dump all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until everything is incorporated! It’s hard to mess this one up.

I’ve been really into summer produce this year, and loved showcasing these gorgeous cherries in this recipe. I almost covered the entire top of the cake with them, but figured that’d make it pretty hard to slice!

The frosting recipe should make enough for you to cover the entire cake with some leftover to pipe and decorate however you wish!

You don’t *have* to keep this cake stored in the refrigerator, but I do think it holds up a little better that way. If your house or kitchen tends to get hot (hellllo Alabama heat), the frosting will keep better in the fridge.

I hope you can get your hands on some fresh cherries and give this cake a try before cherry season is over! If you do, I’d love to know how it turns out. Happy baking, friends!

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Bourbon Cherry Cake

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 1 5

Total Time: 2 5

Ingredients

Bourbon Cherry Filling:

3 cups pitted cherries
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp bourbon
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla

Vanilla Bean Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
1 ¼ cups milk

Bourbon Soak:

¼ cup bourbon
2 tbsp powdered sugar

Bourbon Cherry Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup shortening
¼ cup bourbon cherry filling
6 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

To make the bourbon cherry filling:

Purée cherries in a blender and pour into a medium saucepan over high heat. Add sugar, bourbon, and cornstarch. Whisk ingredients together and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cooker, stirring occasionally, for 35-40 minutes, or until mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon/spatula. (Mixture will also thicken as it cools.) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Let filling cool and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla bean paste. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer until just blended.
Add half of milk and half of flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Repeat with remaining milk and flour mixture. Mix well.
Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until cakes are golden brown and set in the center. (Test by inserting a toothpick into the center of each cake layer. If it comes out clean, they're done!)
Let cakes cool in pans for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the bourbon soak:

Whisk bourbon and powdered sugar together in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to brush mixture over the top of each cake layer.

To make the frosting:

Cream butter on medium-high speed with an electric mixer. With mixer running, add shortening. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Add bourbon cherry filling, half of the powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon of cream. Mix until well blended. Repeat with second half of powdered sugar and cream, and mix for 1 minute.

Assembly:

When cake layers are cool, use a cake saw or serrated knife to cut off the dome and make an even layer. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand.
Transfer frosting to a piping bag with the tip cut off, and pipe a border around the top of the cake layer.
Spoon bourbon cherry filling over the cake and spread with a spoon.
Place the second cake layer on top and pipe or spread frosting all over the outside of the cake. Decorate as you wish! Garnish with fresh cherries if desired.
Store cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.