Fresh Bing Cherry Pound Cake

The delicious cake, much like a classic pound cake, can be used as a dessert or goes equally well with morning coffee. It is made with Bing cherries, which is a cultivar of the wild sweet cherry that originated in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. It is the most produced variety of sweet cherry in the United States and widely available beginning in June of each year. 

Julian's Fresh Cherry Pound Cake

We love these cherries and I use them in several recipes when they are in season. Despite popular belief that the sour cherry is the traditional pie cherry, I use these Bing cherries in my Fresh Cherry Pie recipe as well as in my Rustic Peach and Cherry Tart and even in my Classic Duck Breast with Dark Cherry Port Reduction. They really have so many uses, adding such wonderful flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. 

Cherries Pitted and Pan Prepared

You'll find the recipe easy to prepare but don't be intimidated by the preparation of the loaf pan with butter and parchment paper. You don't have to be exact if there is a little spot not covered here or there it will not matter. Don't however skip this step as it important to getting the loaf out of the pan on one piece.

Topped with Halved Cherries
Ready for the Oven

Ingredients

1 pound sweet, dark (Bing) cherries

1/2 cup unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons, softened

parchment paper
1 cup sugar (a baking safe sugar substitute can be used)
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs, (at room temperature)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon dark cherry flavor (optional)
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Powdered sugar, (for dusting)

Instructions

Pit the cherries using a cherry pitter, plastic/metal straw, chopstick or a pairing knife. Discard the pits and stems. Rinse the cherries. You should have about 2 heaping cups of pitted cherries.  

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Cut pieces of parchment and line the bottom and sides with a strip of parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, butter the parchment with the second tablespoon of softened butter. 

In the large bowl of a mixer, add 1/2 cup butter and sugar then beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sour cream and mix on medium, scraping the sides if necessary, until combined.  Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Add the vanilla, almond extract and optional cherry flavor, and beat to combine. Add the flour, baking powder and salt gradually with the mixer running on low speed. Mix the ingredients together until just combined, being careful to not overmix.

Take 8 cherries and slice them in half. Set aside as these will be used for topping the cake. 

Add the remaining cherries to a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour. Toss or stir generally to coat the cherries evenly and set aside.

Pour 1/3 of the cake batter to the prepared loaf pan. Evenly sprinkle half of the floured cherries on top of the batter in the loaf pan. Add another 1/3 of the cake batter, and top with the rest of the floured cherries. Add the last third of batter, and decoratively top it with the reserved slice cherries.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is evenly golden brown. Test at 45 minutes and continue baking only if needed. Remove to a rack to cool for 30 minutes. With a serving plate nearby, lift the loaf in the pan with one hand and turn it out into your other hand, then place the loaf on the plate. The parchment typically stays in the pan when removed in this manner giving you a perfectly browned loaf all around. 

Dust with powdered sugar when ready to serve. Cut into slices.