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You are here: Home / blog events / #ChocolateParty: Crumb Cake with White Chocolate Chunks and Sour Cherries

#ChocolateParty: Crumb Cake with White Chocolate Chunks and Sour Cherries

June 10, 2013 By Laura 26 Comments

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Tart Cherry Crumb Cake with White Chocolate Chunks

I am obviously late with Chocolate Party this month, submitting as a participant and not a host. Here is the deal–the theme for June is chocolate and cherries. Cherries. As a blogger they are becoming my arch enemy because they are so beloved by foodies but I just really dislike them. And you cannot find frozen tart cherries, or at least I cannot. So, no chocolate and cherries for me.

Then I was at our local farmer’s market 2 weeks ago, chatting with our fruit guy, and discovered he was expecting sour cherries soon.  Soon turned into this past Saturday– Wee-hoo! I have already frozen several cookie sheets’ worth and am thinking I will buy more this weekend if he still has them (sour cherry season is fleeting but wonderful). I used to not care for sour cherries, but I have grown to realize that I actually rather like them. Especially with the creamy sweetness of white chocolate.

Tart Cherry Crumb Cake with White Chocolate Chunks

This cake is super simple and fast (aside from baking time), easy to whip up in the morning for a tasty breakfast (or the night before if you are not a morning person, ahem). The sour cherries balance the sweetness of the white chocolate and the crumble topping perfectly. Here are the rules for participating in Chocolate Party:

chocolate Party

1.) Blog about your chocolate treat. Your recipe must include the two ingredients we choose. This month’s ingredients are chocolate and cherries. It can be a simple no bake treat or a sophisticated layer cake, the complexity level of the recipe is totally up to you.

2.) Include a link back to the Chocolate party page. Optionally, add the Chocolate Party logo in your blog post or on your sidebar.

3.) Your recipe must be published during the current month.

pitting sour cherries

And now for the giveaway! I have one OXO Good Grips Cherry/Olive Pitter to give away to one of my readers. I ended up with 2 of them a year ago from Eat Write Retreat and yes it has taken me this long to give it away (shame spiral).  I blame the fact that I don’t love most cherries or olives. Certainly I love the pitter, which works fantastically. Now for the fine print:

Full disclosure: I was given the pitters by OXO while at Eat Write  Retreat to use and review, and, of course, keep in the case of one. My opinions are completely my own. Affiliate links have been used in this post.

To enter the giveaway for the OXO cherry/olive pitter please leave a comment below telling me whether you have tried (fresh) sour cherries, and if so, how you like to prepare them. For additional entries (please leave a separate comment for each one you do), you can also follow me on Pinterest, and like me on Facebook (or let me know that you already do one or the other). This giveaway is open until midnight, Saturday, June 15, 2013. U.S. residents only please.

5 from 2 votes
Tart Cherry Crumb Cake with White Chocolate Chunks
Print
Crumb Cake with White Chocolate Chunks and Sour Cherries
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Course: Dessert/Breakfast
Cuisine: cake
Keyword: sour cherries, white chocolate
Author: TheSpicedLife
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
  • 4 T (2 oz/1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 3/4 cup AP flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1/4 t Ceylon cinnamon
For the cake:
  • 1 1/2 cups AP flour
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 t pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 1/2 cups fresh sour cherries pitted
  • 3/4 cup (approx. 3 oz) bar chopped white chocolate
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Line a 9-inch baking pan (square) with parchment paper. Set aside.
  3. Whisk together the flour, sugars, salt and Ceylon cinnamon for the topping. Using your fingers, rub the cubed butter into this mixture and then set aside.
  4. Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder for the cake. Set aside.
  5. Beat the butter for the cake until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  6. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each one. Add the vanilla and beat in. Scrape the sides and bottom as needed.
  7. Add the flour mixture and sour cream in 3 and 2 additions, respectively, alternating, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Fold in the white chocolate chunks.
  8. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top evenly and into all corners of the pan. Sprinkle the cherries all over the top of the batter.
  9. Using your hands, clump the topping together and then break apart over the cherries. When it is all evenly distributed, gently press it into the cake.
  10. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean of batter (cherry juice is fine).
  11. Let cool completely before removing to slice.

 

Filed Under: blog events, cakes, cherries, chocolate, cooks' tools, fruit, reviews, Tools Tagged With: cherries, chocolate, crumble, sour cherries, tart cherries, white chocolate

« #Bundtamonth: Espresso Swirled Bundt Cake
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Comments

  1. leila says

    June 10, 2013 at 7:52 pm

    Like you on Facebook!

    Reply
  2. leila says

    June 10, 2013 at 7:53 pm

    Sometimes find those tart cherries canned, or frozen, but not fresh. 🙁 A little jealous…especially if you don’t even like them!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      June 10, 2013 at 8:07 pm

      I like them! But I admit it took until the last few years. 🙂

      Reply
      • leila says

        June 10, 2013 at 8:13 pm

        Phew! That seems a little more fair now. 😉
        We actually did a cherry-thyme-almond cake tonight, but this might have to be our next one.

        Reply
  3. Camille says

    June 10, 2013 at 10:33 pm

    Sour Cherry Crumb cake…I’ll eat your portion. Looks so divine!

    Reply
  4. Joanne says

    June 11, 2013 at 6:22 am

    I actually have two cherry pitters also so don’t enter me in the giveaway! I am actually a total cherry lover (they are really one of my favorite fruits!) but I’ve actually never had sour cherries because I can never find them around here! Maybe I just need to stalk the farmer’s market…

    Love the pairing of them with white chocolate instead of dark! Such a lovely cake.

    Reply
  5. Stephanie-Oh says

    June 11, 2013 at 3:08 pm

    I’ve never tried fresh sour cherries. I usually buy TJ”s bottled cherries for baking cobblers. I’ve haven’t seen sour cherries at the fruit market or I probably would have tried them. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  6. Stephanie-Oh says

    June 11, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    I liked you on face book.

    Reply
  7. grace says

    June 11, 2013 at 3:34 pm

    they’re great in muffins, but to be honest, i haven’t encountered anything using sour cherries that looks as good as this!

    Reply
  8. jacquie says

    June 11, 2013 at 10:45 pm

    absolutely love sour cherries. and yes the season is very fleeting and no you can not find them in stores. I try my best to get out and pick pounds of them when come in. i’m so lucky because the place I pick will pit them for free on an old fashioned pitting machine and then I rebag in smaller amounts and place in the freezer. nothing like stewed cherries in addition to other fruits – apples, peaches, blueberries, or whatever – do see one through those cold winter months.

    Reply
  9. Erin from Long Island says

    June 11, 2013 at 11:12 pm

    I have yet to try sour cherries. I’ve always been curious!

    Reply
  10. Erin from Long Island says

    June 11, 2013 at 11:12 pm

    Facebook liker
    Erin Neu

    Reply
  11. Erin from Long Island says

    June 11, 2013 at 11:14 pm

    follow on pinterest
    erin neu

    Reply
  12. Dina says

    June 12, 2013 at 5:34 pm

    this sounds delish. i’m on a white chocolate kick and i love cherries!

    Reply
  13. laurasmess says

    June 13, 2013 at 2:58 am

    I’ve never seen fresh sour cherries. We can buy dried ones locally here from a nearby delicatessen, but I love the idea of pitting my own to make gorgeous desserts like this one. I am also a fan of tart with sweet, like the sour cherries with the creamy white chocolate in this dessert. Love your interpretation of the chocolate and cherry theme. Gorgeous (wish that I could find the sour cherries here! I might have to try this recipe with dried sour cherries instead!).

    Reply
  14. steph@stephsbitebybite says

    June 13, 2013 at 7:58 am

    This cake sounds so good! I could definitely use a big ole square of it with my coffee!

    Reply
  15. Kathryn Von Buren says

    June 13, 2013 at 10:33 am

    This has my mouth watering. Can’t wait for this year’s sour cherry crop to ripen!

    Reply
  16. Leah Hamm says

    June 13, 2013 at 5:15 pm

    Fresh cherry pie (OH MY!), using my Mother’s (and Grandmother’s) recipe!

    Reply
  17. Laura Dembowski says

    June 13, 2013 at 9:18 pm

    I can find frozen cherries, but there’s nothing better than fresh. This cake looks so decadent and amazing! I have made a sour cherry bundt cake. I’m hoping to buy some more very soon.

    Reply
  18. Martha in KS says

    June 14, 2013 at 10:14 am

    I could use a pitter. We don’t get sour cherries here but last year I pitted (using a strawberry stemmer) & froze several pounds of sweet cherries for my cherry-loving niece.

    Reply
  19. Laura@bakinginpyjamas says

    June 14, 2013 at 2:58 pm

    These look really delicious. It’s a great entry for this month’s #chocolateparty

    Reply
  20. Suzanne says

    June 15, 2013 at 10:46 am

    5 stars
    This looks like a delicious cake, I have one of those cherry pitters and I love mine!

    Reply
  21. Crumb Cake says

    September 12, 2013 at 5:04 am

    5 stars
    Wow! This is such a pretty and impressive crumb cake! It’s the perfect season for peaches too. Thanks for sharing dear.

    Reply
  22. susan @ the wimpy vegetarian says

    June 15, 2014 at 2:00 am

    Love, love, love this!!!

    Reply
  23. Cynthia says

    June 15, 2014 at 1:28 pm

    I’m thrilled to have stumbled upon you! The idea machine is whirring……..

    Reply
  24. Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen) says

    May 12, 2016 at 9:40 am

    I love tart cherries in desserts just like this one! Can’t wait to try this version with the white chocolate. What a great add!

    Reply

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Hi! I’m Laura and I am a recovering history major who has re-channeled all of my passion for learning about the history of different countries to learning about their food culture. That doesn’t mean every dish on here is strictly authentic, but it does mean that even my adaptations are not undertaken lightly. My goal is to show you–by doing–that these dishes are possible in your kitchen. Including desserts because I have quite the sweet tooth! Read More…

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