Copycat Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake Recipe
This Copycat Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake recipe brings the beloved classic back to life using simple ingredients. If you’ve been searching for a homemade cherry chip cake with real cherry flavor, this recipe delivers.
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With its moist texture and soft, tender crumb, every slice tastes just like the cake you remember. Perfect for special occasions, potlucks or anytime you’re craving a nostalgic dessert.
Better Crocker, Where Did You Go?!
Let’s get this out of the way. I’m not a big fan of cake mixes. There’s something about from-scratch cake that is so much better. The flavor, the texture, the love that goes into it. Homemade simple wins!
But there is one major exception: Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Cherry Chip Cake Mix.
It was easily one of the best boxed cakes ever made. That sweet cherry flavor and that perfectly moist texture made it a wistful favorite for so many of us.
Being the home baker that I am, I decided to create my own Copycat Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake recipe made completely from scratch. After plenty of testing, tweaking, and taste-testing, I came up with a version that comes surprisingly close to the classic we all remember.
I hope this recipe satisfies the taste that you remember. Happy Baking!
The Players for Copycat Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake
Ingredients:
- Butter – You’ll need 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter. Be sure it’s softened so it creams properly with the sugar.
- Sugar – White granulated sugar is used to make my favorite cake.
- Eggs – Four room temperature eggs provides moisture and structure to our cherry chip cakes.
- Vanilla Extract – Pure vanilla extract brings warmth and additional sweetness to the cake flavors.
- Almond Extract – Adds that classic bakery-style flavor that pairs beautifully with cherries.
- Flour – Plain, white all-purpose flour is all you’ll need for this delicious recipe.
- Baking Powder – Leavening agent that helps the cake rise and stay fluffy, and yes, it is one tablespoon to make the copycat Betty Crocker cake mix.
- Salt – A pinch of salt is needed to bring all of the flavors together.
- Buttermilk – Don’t waste your money on store-bought buttermilk. Use the pantry staples that you have! Simply add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a 1-cup measuring cup, then top it off with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken, and you’ve got an easy, budget-friendly buttermilk substitute.
- Cherries – I use the whole 12 ounce jar of maraschino cherries for this copycat recipe. Drain and rinse the maraschino cherry juice from the cherries and give the a good chop with either a food processor or a sharp knife.
Tools:
- Baking Pans – Two 9-inch baking pans are needed to create even cake layers. I love my Gold Touch Cake Pans, but any nonstick pan will work. For additional baking pan sizes, scroll down to the bottom of this post near the recipe card,
How to make Copycat Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray and set aside.
Cream the Butter, Sugar, Eggs, and Extracts
In a large bowl using either a mixer or a wooden spoon, beat the softened butter on medium speed for two minutes.
Add in the sugar and mix for an additional 2 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy.
To the bowl, add in the room temperature eggs and beat for 1 minute.
Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Add Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk (One-Bowl Method)
Add 2 cups of the flour, along with the baking powder and salt, directly to the bowl. Mix on low speed until combined.
Pour in the buttermilk and mix until incorporated.
Add the remaining ½ cup of flour and mix just until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
Fold in the Cherries
Gently fold in the finely chopped maraschino cherries with a spatula.
Bake and Cool the Cakes
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
Bake the cakes for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting them.
Best Frosting Flavors for Cherry Chip Cake
If you’re wondering what frosting goes best with cherry chip cake, these delicious options pair perfectly with its moist texture and sweet cherry flavor:
My Go-To Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4-5 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Pinch of salt
Directions:
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until fluffy.
Cherry Frosting
If you want to double down on cherry flavor, this is the way to go. Save a little maraschino cherry juice from the jar or finely chopped cherries to vanilla buttercream for a naturally pink frosting that matches the cake perfectly.
Chocolate Buttercream
The combination of chocolate and cherries is a match made in heaven!
Cream Cheese Frosting
This tangy, creamy frosting balances the sweetness of cherry chip cake beautifully and gives it a slightly bakery-style finish.
Storage, Freezing, and Thawing Instructions
To Store:
To keep your Cherry Chip Cake fresh and moist, cover with plastic wrap on in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your cake is frosted with buttercream, it can safely sit at room temperature in an airtight container. If using cream cheese frosting, store it in the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
To Freeze:
You can also freeze unfrosted cake layers by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
To Thaw:
Thaw the cakes on the counter at room temperature for a couple of hours before frosting and serving.
Cherry Chip Cake Pan Size Options
This Copycat Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake recipe is versatile and works beautifully in different pans:
- 13 x9-inch Pan – Pour the batter into a greased 13×9-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Chip Cake in a 13″x9″ baking pan and is equally delicious this way!
- Cupcakes – Line muffin tins with cupcake liners and fill each about ⅔ full. Bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes, or until the centers spring back lightly when touched.
- 8-inch Cake Pan – Pour the batter evenly between two greased 8-inch round pans. Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back lightly when touched.
Pin it for Later!
If you end up baking this Copycat Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake recipe, leave me a comment. I’d love to chat with you!
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Copycat Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 12 oz jar of maraschino cherries, drained, rinsed and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl using either a mixer or a wooden spoon, beat the softened butter for two minutes.
- Add in the sugar and mix for an additional 2 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy.
- To the bowl, add in the room temperature eggs and beat for 1 minute.
- Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Add 2 cups of the flour, along with the baking powder and salt, directly to the bowl. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Pour in the buttermilk and mix until incorporated.
- Add the remaining ½ cup of flour and mix just until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the finely chopped maraschino cherries with a spatula.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
- Allow the cherry chip cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting them with your frosting of choice.
Notes
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4-5 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Pinch of salt
Acts 4:12 - "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
