Macrina Bakery’s Lemon Sour Cherry Coffee Cake is one of the best cake recipes in my arsenal. The Macrina Bakery is in Seattle. I’ve not been there, but it is a well-loved bakery in the area. You know, like the Magnolia Bakery in New York. I’ve never been there either, but have their cookbook.
The original Macrina cake was presented upside down. The round edges of the bundt were hitting the plate, which made for a flat top. The glaze was poured over and pooled on top and dripped down the sides. Then garnished with rehydrated dried sour cherries on top. Lovely, very lovely.
However, I like my bundt cakes right side up. It’s easier to cut that way, right, but a fabulous presentation is theirs. I’ve also baked the cake in two large loaf pans, so we can eat one and freeze the other. I’ve taken this cake in its various forms everywhere. Ladies bridge (lame, but that’s the kind of Mimi I am), church pitch-ins, family gatherings – it’s perfect – loads of compliments!
This recipe makes a large batter. It fit perfectly in my 10-cup bundt pan but would work in a 12-cup pan, too. And little mini bundts or mini loaves – another idea for individual service – so cute!
Talk about CUTE! Take a look at this Nordic Ware Party Bundt pan. My lovely friend Beth and I talked about how much I coveted this bundt pan. Perfect slices. No more straddling between peaks and valleys in a traditional bundt. Then, for crying out loud, she gifted it to me at Christmas. It is perfect. Thanks, Beth!
Why do I love this recipe? It has lots of lemony flavor. Anything with sour cherries and lemon is a win-win in my book. And Greek yogurt is used in the recipe instead of sour cream. Yogurt can be used as a substitute for any recipe that calls for sour cream. Did you know that? I do substitute often to help cut down on fat in lots of different recipes, sweet and savory. But, I mean, it’s cake. The recipe calls for a cup of butter in addition to yogurt. Why am I cutting down on fat? I don’t know. It makes me feel righteous, I guess, and somehow health conscious. Whatever …
Isn’t this beautiful out of the pan? If you try this cake recipe, I’d love to hear your comments.
Shall we make a beautiful lemony-cherry cake?
I think so.
- For the Cake
- 1½ cups dried tart cherries. I used dried Montmorency cherries from Trader Joe's.
- 4 cups unbleached flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 5 eggs
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- For the Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Spray a 10-12-cup bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the dried cherries in a medium bowl and cover with hot tap water.
- Let the cherries soak for 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly and pat dry between two
- sheets of paper toweling; set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl; whisk and set aside.
- Combine the butter, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for 5 to 8 minutes, until the mixture
- becomes smooth and pale in color.
- Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding
- another.
- After all the eggs have been incorporated into the batter, slowly add the lemon juice, and mix for 1 more minute.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for 30 more seconds.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and alternately add small amounts of the flour mixture and the yogurt to the batter, mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Set aside 10 – 12 cherries for garnish, then gently fold the remaining cherries into the batter. be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, filling two-thirds of the pan.
- Bake on center rack of the oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown.
- Check the center of the cake with a skewer; if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
- Cool the cake on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
- Invert the pan to remove the cake, and let it cool completely.
- Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl; add the lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Mix with a spoon until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled coffee cake.
- Top with the reserved plump cherries.
The original recipe, which I’ve made a bunch of times, doesn’t have lemon extract. Instead it has fresh lemon juice.