Pioneer Woman Cherry Cake Pudding

Pioneer Woman cherry cake pudding takes 55 minutes and canned cherries, pecans and a thick cherry sauce to make a warm, sticky dessert. Save this easy cherry dessert for Sunday dinner, potluck night, Fourth of July or holiday gatherings, because it's a simple one-pan bake.

Drizzle a third of the sauce over the cake the moment it leaves the oven, then wait ten minutes before serving. Skip that wait and the sauce just sits on top instead of seeping into the crumb.

Using cherries packed in light syrup, not pie filling, gives you a full cup of real cherry juice for the sauce. Finely chopped pecans also add a little crunch to every spoonful, so the soft cake never feels one-note.

Pioneer Woman Cherry Cake Pudding

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

290

kcal

Cherries and chopped pecans bake into a tender, golden cake that turns sticky once the cherry sauce soaks in. Then a cloud of unsweetened whipped cream balances the sweetness on top.

Ingredients

• Cake
  

• 1 c. Sugar
  

• 2 tbsp. Butter, Softened
  

• 1 whole Egg
  

• 1 c. All-purpose Flour
  

• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  

• 1/8 tsp. Salt
  

• 1/2 c. Whole Milk
  

• 1 can (15 Oz. Size) Cherries In Syrup (Not Cherry Pie Filling), Drained, Juice Reserved
  

• 1/2 c. Pecans, Finely Chopped
  

• Sauce:
  

• 1 c. Juice From Cherries (add Water To Make 1 Cup If Necessary)
  

• 1 tbsp. All-purpose Flour
  

• 1 tbsp. Butter
  

• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  

• Unsweetened Freshly Whipped Cream
  

Directions

• Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F, then generously butter a 9x9-inch baking dish. Drain the cherries into a measuring cup and set the cherries aside.
• Mix the batter: Cream 1 cup sugar with 2 tablespoons softened butter, then add the egg and mix well. Sift 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt together, and add it to the bowl alternately with 1/2 cup whole milk.
• Fold in cherries: Add the drained cherries and 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans to the batter. Mix gently so the cherries stay whole.
• Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the buttered pan and smooth out the surface. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and no longer jiggly.
• Cook the sauce: While the cake bakes, combine 1 cup cherry juice and 1 tablespoon flour in a small saucepan, adding water to make a full cup if needed. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes until thick, then turn off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
• Sauce the cake: Drizzle about a third of the sauce over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, then spread it across the surface. Wait ten minutes so the sauce can seep into the top.
• Serve it warm: Spoon out pieces of the warm, sticky cake onto plates. Then top each one with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use cherry pie filling instead of canned cherries?

I wouldn't, because pie filling is thick and very sweet, and you need real cherry juice for the sauce. Cherries packed in light syrup give you both the fruit and the cup of juice.

How do I store leftover cherry cake pudding?

Cover the pan and keep it in the fridge for a few days. Warm single portions in the microwave until soft, and add fresh whipped cream right before serving.

Can I make this ahead of time?

It tastes best warm, so bake it close to serving time. You can drain the cherries and chop the pecans earlier in the day to save yourself a few minutes.

What if I don't have an electric mixer?

A sturdy wooden spoon and a big bowl work fine for creaming the butter and sugar. It just takes a bit more elbow grease to get it smooth.

What's the most common mistake with this dessert?

Pulling the cake out too early is the usual problem. If the center still jiggles, give it a few more minutes, because it should be golden on top and set all the way through.