Cherry Sheet Cake
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A 4-Ingredient Cherry Sheet Cake with a nostalgic cherry-almond flavor perfect for Valentine’s Day, baby showers, BBQs – or whenever you want a vintage-inspired, pretty pink dessert without spending more than 30 minutes in the kitchen.
Cherry Pie Cake Mix Hack Recipe
These days, I’m in my semi-homemade era.
I love a good baking project, but honestly, I have come to really appreciate the utility of a good cake mix hack.
I love always having dessert ready when we have friends over – or bringing along a dessert whenever I’m invited to their houses – so having some reliable semi-homemade dessert recipes that I can rely on allow me to still be the best host (or guest) without carving out a couple hours in my already-packed schedule.
Today’s cake mix hack combines a simple white cake mix with cherry pie filling, eggs and almond extract to create an ethereally light cherry cake with a well-rounded cherry-almond flavor profile. Topped simply with Cool Whip and pretty maraschino cherries for garnish, this cake looks pretty as a picture (evidence below) and no one would guess it took you less than 20 minutes total to whip up.
This vintage cherry snack cake bakes up fluffy and tender, tinted a beautifully blush pink thanks to the cherries, which give subtle pops of jammy sweetness throughout the cake that are balanced out by the airy Cool Whip topping.
Cherry Sheet Cake Variations:
- Swap out almond extract for vanilla extract, if desired
- Stir in a handful of finely chopped, toasted almonds for a crunchy texture contrast
- Add tang by swapping out the Cool Whip frosting for a cream cheese frosting
- Swap out the white cake mix for chocolate for a chocolate-cherry flavor profile
Cherry Sheet Cake FAQs
Yes, you can crush or cook down 2 cups of cherries to use fresh cherries in place of the pie filling.
Bake the cake a day in advance and refrigerate. Add the whipped topping the day you serve for the freshest texture or within 24 hours.
Yes, the cherries and Cool Whip topping require this cake to be refrigerated if it won’t be served within a couple hours of serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
Absolutely, whip 2 cups heavy cream with 2 to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla until soft peaks form.
Ingredients for Cherry Sheet Cake
- White Cake Mix
- Cherry Pie Filling
- Eggs
- Almond Extract (can use vanilla, if desired)
- Cool Whip
- Maraschino Cherries
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: stir a bit of maraschino cherry juice to the cool whip before frosting your cake for a pretty pink color and subtle cherry flavor throughout.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Casserole Dish <– I love these Pyrex dishes with fitted lids for easy transportation to parties or leftover storage
- Offset Spatula
How to Make Cherry Sheet Cake
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease a 9″x13″ casserole dish and set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs and almond extract. Beat for 2 minutes until well-combined and fluffy.
Fold the cake batter into the prepared casserole dish and smooth down with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 28-32 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the Cool Whip overtop in an even layer.
Position the maraschino cherries evenly in a grid pattern on top of the cake to suggest the 12 servings.
Makes 12 servings.
Pin this 4-Ingredient Cherry Sheet Cake recipe for a quick dessert that still impresses:
Grab your free printable recipe card for our cherry sheet cake recipe:
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Cherry Sheet Cake
This Cherry Sheet Cake is an ethereally light cherry cake with a well-rounded cherry-almond flavor profile - no one will guess it’s a cake mix hack recipe! Topped simply with Cool Whip and pretty maraschino cherries for garnish, this cake looks pretty as a picture and no one would guess it took you less than 20 minutes total to whip up.
Ingredients
- 1 Box White Cake Mix
- 15oz Cherry Pie Filling
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract (can use vanilla, if desired)
For decoration:
- 2 cups Cool Whip
- 12 Maraschino Cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grease a 9"x13" casserole dish and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs and almond extract. Beat for 2 minutes until well-combined and fluffy.
- Fold the cake batter into the prepared casserole dish and smooth down with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 28-32 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the Cool Whip overtop in an even layer.
- Position the maraschino cherries evenly in a grid pattern on top of the cake to suggest the 12 servings.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 323Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 33mgCarbohydrates: 76gFiber: 6gSugar: 70gProtein: 2g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy cherry sheet cake recipe as much as mine does!
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