Cherry Poppy Seed Streusel Cake Recipe

Cherry season is in full swing, which made this recipe irresistible as I was walking through cherry-filled isles at the store this weekend! I have never been a fan of cherry flavored anything, it all just tasted exactly the same as the cough syrup I had to choke down as a kid. Then at the ripe old age of 23, I actually tasted what a fresh cherry tasted like. That was all I needed, ever since I have been hooked on Nature’s Candy! This recipe combines all of my favorites, light layers of cake with fresh cherries and a sweet and crumbly streusel topping. This cake would be the perfect addition to a dinner with friends or an evening on the porch. Whether you choose to share or hide this from the kids, I’m confident you will love it!

CHERRY POPPY SEED STREUSEL CAKE

This is the detailed version of this recipe. You can also check out the printable recipe card further down on this post.

Cake Ingredients 

• 210 grams Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 70 grams Poppy Seeds (We recommend Blue Bird Poppy Seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 150 grams Sugar
• 100 grams Coconut Oil
• 3 Eggs
• 1 tbsp Natural Vanilla Bean Extract
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
• 230 grams Buttermilk
• 450 grams Cherries, pitted and sliced

Streusel Ingredients

• 70 grams Flour
• 70 grams Oats
• 35 grams Poppy Seeds (We recommend our European Blue Bird Poppy Seeds)
• 30 grams Sugar
• 55 grams Butter, Softened

Recipe Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Using parchment, line a 9” springform pan and grease the sides. I used coconut oil, but whatever you have on hand will work.
2. In a mixing bowl, add in all of the dry ingredients and mix until well blended. In a smaller bowl whisk together the eggs, coconut oil and buttermilk. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is just combined. Be careful to not overmix as this will cause your cake to be quite dense. We want this cake to be lighter than air! Once your batter has been mixed, pour into your prepared pan.
3. After washing your cherries, slice them in half and remove the pits. Place them cut side up on top of the cake batter making sure to completely cover the batter. This will ensure three distinct layers of deliciousness!
4. In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients with your fingers until clumps form. Sprinkle the streusel over the cherries until they are covered fully.
5. Bake 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the streusel is a nice golden brown. Cool at least 30 minutes before removing from pan. This beautiful little treat can be enjoyed warm or room temperature. I added some whipped cream and fresh cherries to mine, but feel free to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and really go wild!!

Happy Baking! – Callie