This Cherry Marble Cake is a gorgeous, bakery-style Bundt cake swirled with sweet homemade cherry sauce and topped with a silky cream cheese glaze. Moist, tender, and full of almond-cherry flavor, it’s the perfect dessert for holidays, brunches, or special occasions. Easy to make and always a showstopper!
Cherry Marble Cake
This Cherry Marble Cake is moist, buttery, and swirled with sweet homemade cherry sauce for a beautiful, bakery-style dessert that tastes as good as it looks. With bright cherry ribbons running through a tender almond-vanilla bundt cake and a silky cream cheese glaze on top, this stunning cake delivers major wow-factor with surprisingly simple steps. The combination of almond extract and cherries gives this cake an incredible flavor that tastes like classic bakery cherry cake but with a homemade touch you just can’t beat.
If you love desserts that balance rich, buttery flavor with a pop of fruity brightness, this Cherry Marble Cake is going to be your new go-to. Fresh or frozen cherries simmer into a glossy, sweet-tart sauce that melts right into the soft crumb of the cake. Every slice shows off gorgeous swirls, like a cherry cheesecake and classic vanilla cake rolled into one delicious bite. And the cream cheese glaze? It ties everything together with the perfect amount of tangy sweetness.
Why You’ll Love This Cherry Marble Cake
- Beautiful bakery-style swirls without any decorating skills required.
- Homemade cherry swirl that's not too sweet, perfectly fruity.
- Tender, moist crumb thanks to buttermilk.
- Almond + cherry is a match made in dessert heaven.
- Perfect for entertaining and easy to make ahead.
- Freezes beautifully! Glaze after thawing.
Can I Use Fresh Cherries?
Sure! Just use the same amount and make sure you remove the stems and pits.
Pro Tips for the Best Bundt Cake
- Sugar the pan. Instead of flouring, coat the buttered pan with sugar for a flawless release and a subtle sweet crust.
- Cool before glazing. If the cake is warm, the glaze will melt off.
- Don’t overswirl. Marble cakes only need a few gentle figure-eight motions.
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a smooth, fluffy batter.
More Cake Recipes You'll Love
- Cinnamon Swirl Loaf Cake - A soft, buttery loaf cake with a rich cinnamon-sugar swirl baked throughout. Cozy, sweet, and perfect with a cup of coffee or for an easy breakfast or treat.
- Kentucky Butter Cake - This classic, ultra-moist vanilla Bundt cake is soaked in a warm buttery glaze that melts into every bite. Simple, rich, and completely irresistible.
- Orange Cranberry Bundt Cake - Bright citrus and tart cranberries come together in this festive, flavorful Bundt cake. Moist, beautiful, and perfect for the holidays or any winter gathering.
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake - A nostalgic favorite with caramelized pineapple rings and a soft, tender vanilla cake underneath. Sweet, fruity, and always a crowd-pleaser.
- Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake - This lemon-lover’s dream is bursting with fresh citrus flavor, a tender crumb, and a tangy lemon glaze. Fresh, bright, and perfect for spring or summer.
Cherry Marble Cake Video
Cherry Marble Cake
Ingredients
Cherry Sauce
- 2 cups frozen cherries (about one 12-ounce package)
- 1½ tablespoons water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Cake
- 2½ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons butter room temperature
- 1⅓ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cherry Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, combine cherries, water, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and almond extract in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until cherries begin to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 10-cup bundt pan with butter. Then pour in enough sugar to lightly stick to the butter in the pan, dumping out any extra. This will help your cake come out cleanly.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar in a separate large bowl on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to low and add eggs and egg yolk one at a time.
- Beat in vanilla and almond extracts until incorporated. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
- Spoon half of the batter into prepared bundt pan and smooth with a spatula or spoon. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Top batter with 1 cup cherry sauce, dropping by spoonfuls over the batter.
- Spoon remaining batter evenly over the sauce, and carefully smooth with a spatula. Use a toothpick to very gently swirl the sauce into the batter. Be careful not to swirl cherry sauce all the way to the bottom of the pan or it will stick. Tap pan sharply again to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake for 46 to 50 minutes, until cake is golden, springs back to the touch, and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes; carefully invert onto rack or plate and cool completely.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Beat to combine.
- Warm in the microwave until pourable, stirring well.
- Then pour over cooled cake. Allow to set before serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead: Make the cake with no frosting. Allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before glazing and serving.
- Storage: Cover and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezer Directions: Baked cake can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before icing and serving.
Nutrition
UPDATE INFO: This recipe was originally published in May 2016. It has been updated with new pictures, tips, and video and republished in December 2025.
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Meghan says
Oh! I will be making this!!!
Crystal Donnelly says
Looks delicious! 🙂
Karly says
This is my kind of cake! Thanks for linkin' up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!
QueenAli says
Tastes good but I make my filling from fresh cherries. Consequently, my cake was moist and dark. I added a chocolate glaze which enhanced the flavor. I did use a bundt pan but it is half the size since the batter was for a small pan. Overall, my family enjoyed it tremendously.
Michelle says
Sounds delicious!
Tracy says
Could you use dried cherries in this recipe?
Michelle says
Not for the cherry sauce, but you could probably just add them into the cake itself. The bake time might decrease just a little without the cherry sauce in the center.