The food transition from one season to the other is a struggle. I’m all enjoying peaches and tomatoes and cherries and all the sudden, without warning, save for the fact that it happens every single year, they disappear and it’s all brussels sprouts and cauliflower and pumpkin.
I cling to my freezer stash of fruit and cakes and pies and crisps loaded with peak season fruit.
This cake is in my freezer right now. And although it hasn’t been that long since cherry season ended, I already broke into my stash. It’s so good fresh out of the oven or frozen and reheated. There’s no way it’s taking me through to May when cherries will pop back up on shelves.
This is, however, the absolute perfect recipe to make with frozen cherries since the cherry component is a thick and luxurious jam. The jam is totally the star of the recipe and the even better news is that the cake doesn’t call for all of it, so there’s plenty left to serve with the cake or on pancakes, toast, ice cream, or anything else your heart desires. Which will be everything, it’s so good.
In the cake, it’s easy to think it might be overshadowed by the rich brownie like goodness surrounding it. But every single bite has some of that cherry brightness and sweetness not to mention big chunks everywhere and incredible, decadent gooey texture at every turn. Plus, this cake and the jam are paleo … you know the drill: grain free, refined sugar free, dairy free. Such a win for a cake that looks (and tastes) this good!
Cherries and chocolate … er … carob are a classic combination and this takes them to the next level in a treat that is no doubt to be on repeat for a taste of decadence and summer at any time.
Cherry Brownie Sheet Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 18 slices 1x
Description
A decadent, fudgy cake swirled with cherry jam and topped with drippy glaze.
Ingredients
Jam
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons cherry eau de vie
4 cups fresh, pitted, or frozen cherries
Cake
1 cup olive oil
½ cup coconut oil, room temperature
1 cup coconut sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder
½ cup carob or cocoa powder
½ cup hot coffee
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
½ cup chopped carob or dark chocolate, melted
1 ½ cups paleo flour blend (2 cups almond flour, 1 ¼ cups tapioca starch, ¾ cup coconut flour)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
Glaze
¾ cup coconut oil
¾ cup carob or cocoa powder
Instructions
Make the jam. In a medium large pot, stir together the syrup, tapioca, cherry eau de vie, and cherries. Stir in the cinnamon stick, cardamom, and vanilla bean seeds and pod. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until cherries are soft and mixture is thick and jammy, about 20 minutes. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature before adding to cake or covering and refrigerating. Jam may be made up to 1 week ahead of time.
Make the cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, 325 degrees F convection. Oil a 9 by 13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together oils and sugar until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time until mixture is lightened in texture slightly. Beat in the vanilla, carob powder, melted carob, and coffee. Stir in half the flour, followed by the milk. Finish with the remaining flour, baking soda, and salt.
Stir in a heaping 1 ½ cups of the jam, pour into the prepared pan, smooth into an even layer, and bake 40-50 minutes, until cake rises and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool completely in the pan or get wild and crazy and make the glaze and serve it warm and messy!
Make the glaze. In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the coconut oil. Stir in the carob or cocoa until combined and pour over the cake. Serve with extra jam.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
OMG!!! Would I love a piece of this right now!!! Looks absolutely decadent and delicious! Please send me a piece 🙂
★★★★★
I wish I could send a piece! It’s soooooo good 🙂