This Cherry Chip Cake brings back the nostalgia of the classic pink box mix with chopped maraschino cherries and cherry juice baked into a white cake, topped with homemade cherry buttercream. For about $10.96 total, or $0.91 for serving, this easy, affordable cake is a sweet choice for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and family celebrations.
I love serving homemade cakes at family gatherings because they give everyone a reason to gather around the table. This recipe is the kind of dessert that brings back sweet memories and makes celebrations feel a little more special. As a mom of 8, I love making memories with my family.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- A replacement for the hard-to-find boxed mix: Just a white cake mix and a jar of maraschino cherries.
- Cherry flavor in every part: The juice goes in the cake and the frosting, so you get color and flavor without food coloring.
- Budget-friendly: Pantry staples plus one jar of cherries.
After more than 14 years of baking, I’ve learned that small details can make a big difference in a homemade cake. Using softened butter for the frosting helps create a smooth, creamy texture that spreads easily and holds its shape when piped.
You may also like to make Cherry Bread and Cherry Thumbprint Cookies.
What is Cherry Chip Cake?
Cherry chip cake is a white or vanilla cake with little bits of cherry baked into the batter. The original boxed mix used cherry-flavored chips; this version uses chopped maraschino cherries and their juice, which give the same sweet cherry flavor and soft pink color.
Ingredients
Cake
- White Cake Mix. White mix gives the prettiest pink color. Check the box size – some brands have shrunk to about 13 ounces.
- Maraschino Cherries. One 10-ounce jar covers the whole cake. Drain it over a bowl and save every drop of juice: ½ cup goes into the cake and 1 tablespoon goes into the frosting. Chop half the cherries for the batter and keep the rest whole for the top.
- Eggs. Use 3 whole eggs at room temperature so they blend smoothly into the batter. We use whole eggs instead of the whites the box calls for because it makes a richer, moister cake, and no leftover yolks to waste.
- Vanilla Extract. Always try to use pure vanilla extract.
- Vegetable Oil and Water. These keep the cake moist; the cherry juice replaces some of the water for extra flavor.
Icing
- Unsalted Butter. Softened at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract. Almond extract can also be used.
- Powdered Sugar. Sift it first if it’s lumpy so the frosting stays smooth.
- Milk. I prefer whole milk.
- Cherry Juice. One tablespoon from the jar turns the frosting a soft pink.
Get the complete ingredient list at the bottom of the post.
How to Make Cherry Chip Cake
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round pans with nonstick baking spray (the kind with flour) or line the bottoms with parchment
Step 2. Chop the cherries. Start by draining the cherry juice from the jar of cherries into a separate bowl. Then take half of the cherries and chop them into fine pieces. Reserve the rest of the cherries for the topping on the cake. Pat the chopped cherries dry with paper towels, then toss them with 1 tablespoon of the dry cake mix. Drying them keeps the batter from getting streaky, and the light coating helps them stay suspended instead of sinking to the bottom.
Step 3. Then in a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, chopped cherries, vegetable oil, eggs, teaspoon vanilla extract, water and part of the cherry juice.
Step 4. Mix together the dry ingredients and wet ingredients on medium speed. Don’t overmix.
Step 5. Then pour the batter evenly into the 2 round cake pans. Bake for 24-29 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Step 6. Allow to cool. Then let the cakes cool completely on a cooling rack.
Step 7. Beat the softened butter until creamy, then add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time on low speed. Mix in the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of cherry juice, then add the milk a little at a time until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
Step 8. Gently remove the cake from the cake pans and cut the round portion off of the top of the cakes. I used a serrated knife.
Step 9. Place the cake on a serving platter or cake stand. Top the cake layers with the buttercream frosting. Then stack the other cake on top of that cake.
Step 10. Finally, frost the top of the cake and the sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream frosting. I prefer to use an offset spatula.
Step 11. Decorate the top with the remaining frosting to pipe swirls on top of the cake. Lastly, top those swirls with the remaining cherries for a lovely pink cake.
Pro Tips
- Adjust the frosting. Too thick? Beat in more cherry juice, a teaspoon at a time. Too thin? Add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time.
- Add food coloring. The cherry juice gives the frosting a soft pink. For a brighter pink, add a drop or two of red food coloring.
- Want more cherries on top? One jar covers the cake, batter, and a cherry on each swirl. If you like a fuller topping, grab a second jar.
Storage
Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator covered in an airtight container up to 5 days. See How Long Does Cake Last in the Fridge.
To freeze, wrap the whole cake or individual slices in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter before serving.
To make ahead, bake the layers up to a day early, let them cool completely, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Frost the next day. Chilled layers are also firmer and easier to stack. If the finished cake has been in the fridge, let it sit out for about 30 minutes before slicing so the buttercream softens.
Variations
- Chocolate Chips. Chocolate chips can be added to the boxed cake mix. This is a popular ingredient to add to the cherry chip cake mix recipe. I suggest adding a ½ cup mini chocolate chips for the perfect amount of chocolate. To prevent them from sinking to the bottom, put the chocolate chips with a little batter and then add to the bowl.
- Sheet Cake. You can make this in a 9×13 baking pan instead of layers. Just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly for that size based on the box instructions.
- Top with cherries. Garnish the cake with cherries on top if you prefer. It is optional but looks really pretty. I like to place a few around the dollops of icing on top. It is gorgeous.
- Cake Mix. You can use yellow cake mix in this recipe. However, using a white cake mix will result in a pinker cake. I think both options taste great, but the white cake mix results in a prettier cake.
- Vanilla Extract. Increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons if you like more vanilla flavor.
- Almond Extract. Substitute a teaspoon almond extract instead of the vanilla.
- Homemade Cake. If you prefer, you can use your favorite cake recipe with basic pantry staples include salt, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, large egg whites and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Betty Crocker Cherry Chip has been very hard to find in stores, and many shoppers report it’s been discontinued. This homemade version uses a white cake mix and maraschino cherries to get the same pink, cherry-speckled cake.
Yes. Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
I haven’t tested cupcakes yet, but cake-mix cupcakes usually bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes. Check them early with a toothpick.
The color comes from the cherry juice, so be sure to use the full ½ cup. A white cake mix gives the pinkest result; yellow or vanilla mixes turn out more peach.
For the classic cherry chip taste and pink color, stick with maraschino cherries. Fresh cherries are tart, release a lot of juice, and won’t give you the candy-sweet flavor of the original box mix.
More Homemade Cake Recipes
Did this taste like the cherry chip cake you remember? Leave a comment and let me know!
Cherry Chip Cake Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- 1 box White Cake Mix 15 oz
- 10 oz Maraschino Cherries you’ll need the cherries and the juice You’ll need this for the cake, icing and topping!
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
- 3 Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Water
FOR THE CHERRY BUTTERCREAM ICING:
- 2 cups Unsalted Butter softened at room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 8 cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Milk
- 1 Tbsp Maraschino Cherry Juice from the jar for the cake
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray 2 9-inch round cake pans with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Drain the cherry juice from the jar of cherries into a separate bowl. Then take half of the cherries and chop them into fine pieces. Reserve the rest of the cherries for the topping on the cake.
- Then in a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, chopped cherries, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, water and ½ cup of the cherry juice. Mix together with a hand held mixer until the ingredients are just combined. Be careful not to over mix (some lumps are ok).
- Then pour the batter evenly into the 2 round cake pans. Bake for 24-29 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Then let the cakes cool completely on a cooling rack.
- While the cakes are cooling, prepare the cherry buttercream icing.
- Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl with a stand up mixer or hand held mixer.
- Then beat in the powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) on low speed until well combined.
- Then stir in the vanilla and 1 Tbsp of the cherry juice. Then gradually add in the milk on medium high speed until the icing is the consistency that you prefer.
- Then gently remove the cake from the cake pans and cut the round portion off of the top of the cakes with a serrated knife to make the cakes level.
- Put 1 of the cakes on a serving platter or cake stand. Top the cake with the buttercream frosting.
- Then stack the other cake on top of that cake.
- Frost the top of the cake and the sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream frosting (reserve some of the buttercream to decorate the top of the cake).
- Use the remaining frosting to pipe some swirls on top of the cake and then top those swirls with the remaining cherries.
- Chill the cake until ready to serve.
Can I use this Recipe for cupcakes?
Can this recipe be used for making a sheet cake in a 9×13 cake pan?
Thank you.
Yes, you can make this cake in a 9X13 pan instead of the round pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Then you can top with the homemade frosting!
How long and temp to do cupcakes instead?
Teresa – I haven’t tested this yet but I would bake them at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let me know how they turn out!