This cherry crumble sheet cake has everything you could want in a summer dessert: a buttery oat crumble with plenty of texture, a soft, juicy cherry filling, and just the right amount of sweetness. Fresh cherries are in season, so it’s the perfect time to get baking!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe for cherry crumble sheet cake simply makes the most of cherry season, but if they’re no longer in season you can make it with frozen cherries or other fruit as well. Making this super versatile. The crumble topping adds crunch, texture and flavor!
Cherry Crumble Sheet Cake
I absolutely love cherries! They’re one of my favorite summer fruits, and I can never get enough of them. We recently got lucky enough to have our very own cherry tree in the backyard, so my love of cherries is definitely being well fed – literally. My favorite way to eat them is straight off the tree by the handful. My kids love them too and are always happy to help with the picking.
I actually grew up with family who owned a cherry orchard in the Netherlands, so cherries have always been a big part of my summers. That’s probably why you’ll find quite a few cherry recipes on the blog already, like my cherry cheesecake ice cream, which is always a favorite. This cherry crumble sheet cake is a wonderful addition to my growing collection of cherry recipes, and they’re made with the very first cherries we harvested from our own garden!
I love turning it into a sheet cake, which I think is such an easy way to incorporate fruit such as in this strawberry sheet cake or this delicious apple sheet cake too.
Recipe Ingredients
For making this easy sheet cake you need the following ingredients:
- flour – I use all purpose flour
- butter – make sure you use cold butter and the unsalted variety
- sugar – regular granulated sugar is best here
- oats – I love adding some oats to my crumble as it creates extra texture and chewiness
- cherries – I used a little under a pound for these cherries. The weight is pitted and halved
- cornstarch – to soak up some of the juices
- almond extract – this is optional but I love the addition of almond flavors.
How To Make Cherry Crumble Sheet Cake
Making this sheet cake is super easy. The biggest amount of work is really the pitting of the cherries, but a special tool helps with that. If you don’t own a cherry pitter you can use a sharp knife.
- Preheat the oven to 350ËšF/180ËšC. Grease a baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add the flour, butter, sugar, oats, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and mix until just combined. You don’t want to overmix the batter as you’re looking for those crumbs!
- Half of the batter goes into the bottom of the pan.
- Mix the halved cherries with the sugar, cornstarch and the almond extract. Toss it until evenly combined. Spread it over the batter. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the cherries and gently press it down a bit.
- Bake for about 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Tip: I use sweet cherries in this recipe. You can also use tart cherries, but you’ll probably want to add a little extra sugar to the filling to balance their natural tartness.
Baking with Fresh Cherries
Fresh cherries are wonderful for baking, but I also love using them in simple summer recipes. This cherry crumble sheet cake is one of my favorites because the combination of the buttery oat crumble and the soft cherry filling is just irresistible.
They’re perfect for sharing at picnics, summer parties, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee. If you’re looking for another delicious dessert, be sure to try my easy lemon curd cake.
Fresh cherries are typically in season throughout the summer, making this the perfect time to bake with them. If you happen to live near a local orchard, picking your own cherries makes these bars even more special.
FAQ Cherry Crumble Sheet Cake
Can I use frozen cherries instead of fresh cherries?
Yes! Frozen cherries work well in this recipe. Thaw them first, drain any excess liquid, and pat them dry with paper towels. This helps prevent the filling from becoming too watery.
Can I use tart cherries instead of sweet cherries?
Absolutely. Tart cherries are a delicious alternative, but because they’re more acidic than sweet cherries, you may want to add an extra 2-4 tablespoons of sugar to the filling, depending on your taste.
How do I pit cherries without a cherry pitter?
If you don’t have a cherry pitter, use a sturdy straw, a chopstick, or the tip of a pastry piping tip to push the pit out through the stem end. You can also carefully cut the cherries in half and remove the pits with a small knife.
Why is my cherry filling runny?
Fresh cherries release a lot of juice while baking. The cornstarch helps thicken the filling, but it’s important to let the cherry crumble sheet cake cool completely before slicing. As they cool, the filling will continue to set.
Ingredients
- 250 gram all-purpose flour
- 225 gram cold unsalted butter (cubed)
- 150 gram granulated sugar
- 100 gram old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 400 gram sweet cherries (pitted and halved)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 75 gram granulated sugar
- 1 tsp almond extract
Equipment
- 8 x 12-inch (20 x 30 cm) rectangular baking pan
INSTRUCTIONS (how to make this recipe):
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grease the baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Add the flour, butter, sugar, oats, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the egg and mix just until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix – you want the mixture to stay crumbly.
- Press half of the crumble mixture gently into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In a separate bowl, combine the halved cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and almond extract. Toss until evenly coated.
- Spread the cherry filling evenly over the crust.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the cherries and gently press it down.
- Bake for about 60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing into 12 pieces.
- Enjoy!
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