This recipe is adapted from Sweeter Off the Vine: Fruit Desserts for Every Season (Ten Speed Press) by Yossy Arefi.
Luscious cherries, oats, poppy seeds and lemon zest give this Amish Friendship Bread cake a major boost in flavor, crunch and moisture. It’s the best of both worlds — a warm, tender cake with a crumbly, slightly crispy topping.
I’m so happy to kick of the new year with this fabulous Amish Friendship Bread recipe. If you follow me on Facebook, you’ll know I am SUPER excited for 2018, because I love fresh starts and new beginnings!
This Cherry Poppy Seed Amish Friendship Bread Cake is the sort of recipe you want to have on hand when the weather is chilly and everyone’s looking for something delicious and uplifting. I swear, you will feel better after just one bite. Chalk it about to 2018 Amish Friendship Bread magic.
Making this recipe was fun, too — here’s a step-by-step how-to instructional if you’d like to see how I made mine:
A few notes: I used canned whole cherries, drained. If using frozen cherries, fold them in while still frozen. Both work really well with this recipe, so use whatever is most convenient for you. If you keep cardamom in your pantry, swap that for the cinnamon. Rolled oats can also be found on the shelves or bulk bins as old-fashioned or whole oats.
Cherry Poppy Seed Amish Friendship Bread Cake
Ingredients
Streusel
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons old-fashioned (rolled) oats
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
Cake
- 1½ cups flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon zest (approximately 2 large lemons)
- ½ cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 2 large lemons)
- 1½ cups pitted cherries (sweet or sour)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C). Grease and flour one 9″ round cake pan.
- Mix all dry streusel ingredients in a small bowl. Using your fingers, break the butter into small pieces and mix into the streusel mixture. Set aside
- Zest two lemons, and set zest aside. Juice the lemons and set juice aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk dry cake ingredients: flour, baking powder, poppy seeds and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, rub sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers to infuse the sugar with the lemon oil. Whisk starter, oil, eggs, yogurt and lemon juice.
- Mix dry mixture into wet ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in half of the cherries and pour batter into prepared pan.
- Dot the remaining cherries over the top of the batter and sprinkle with streusel. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry. Let cool.
- ENJOY!
Notes
>> Have you tried this? Share your best pic with us or leave a comment below and let us know how it worked for you!
Texture was too dense and moist despite draining cherries well and checking doneness carefully. Lemon overpowers cherries. Would not bake again.
Yes I would try this recipe, and I would bake it for my work family. I would make it as muffins. The streusel makes this recipe pop for me.
My husband and I love Lemon Poppy Seed Cake so am sure we would like this one also. On my list to try for us.
I am not a fan of cherries, but may make it as cupcakes. My mom loves cherry streusel, and cupcakes will allow me to monitor her intake better.
I’d probably make these as muffins for the girls at work. I’m not a fan of cherries, but they are, so I know it’d be a hit
Hmmm. I do enjoy cherries in baked goods. I’d probably do this as muffins, though.
I would definitely try this recipe and feel my kids would love it. They would make awesome muffins for a road trip! The streusel topping just pushes the recipe over the top…YUM!
This recipe reminds me of apple bread. You get the buttery cake flavor, occasionally interrupted by the piece of fruit. Those two would complement each other very well, and would best be served side by side so everyone can try them both. The apple would be a bit more sweet, while the cherry a little tart, so you get contrast in that regard as well.
This looks great I wang to make if
I tried it! It’s fantastic, I espcially love the pop of lemon in it that makes it feel lighter. I think next time I will even double the zest for more of that subtle flavor.
Sounds delicious. I would def make it in a cake pan so there would be more surface area for the topping. My son would really enjoy the cherries.
My starter is 9 months old now. I make AFB every week lol!
I would try this recipe for my family. I think my son would enjoy it the most. I would make a round cake. It looks great.
What a divine recipe! Make great muffins to keep around to grab in the morning! Delicious!
Can this be made with dried cherries? I have some that could be used in this.
These sound like they would be great as a muffin.
I would make this recipe as muffins for my neighbor. She is retiring the end of the year.
Cherries are my favorite! I cannot wait to try this recipe!
I love poppy seed and will definitely try this recipe… I think in cupcakes!
Will make this as muffins for my girls at work. Made the lemon poppyseed as minimuffins ,,, there were non left for night shift. Plan on using dried Michigan cherries for this recipe. Maybe a double batch so there will be some left!
I just said in my comment that I have a bunch of cherry trees so Yes! I would totally try this. I’d try it would my family. I’m thinking a loaf pan would be best for us. So far this has been a fun journey and I’m remembering how much I love Amish Friendship Bread and the book, too. 🙂
I’m afraid I’ll have to give this one a pass, I don’t like poppy seeds or streusel. Weird, I know.
Yes I’d make it, in a muffin pan
This is a recipe I wouldn’t try because my family is weird, and none of us really like fruits in our pastries or baked goods. Lol! We’re a crazy lot!
I’m thinking this would be amazing with some FRESH MICHIGAN CHERRIES!🤤 I’d make it in a loaf pan or as muffins!
You know, I think I would make this as muffins, and serve it for breakfast. It would be less crumbly that way. It looks really delicious! Can you make this with dried cherries? I LOVE poppy seed muffins, so this would be a step up from that. This would make a nice weekend treat when my daughter comes to visit, too.
I have never had cherries in bread before the lemon and poppy seeds sound great! Never had it with struddle either. I am learning alot about breads. I will have lots of recipes when my starter is ready. Thanks.
I would love to make this as muffins for the boys for breakfast! Looks great!!
I am not interested in making this bread.I have saved many other recipes in this challenge to try as soon as my Amish Friendship Bread Starter is ready to use.
I started my starter dec.7 and it will be ready soon. YEAH !! I can’t wait. am so excited to start making bread, cookies, and cakes.
thank you for introducing me to your website.
I am definitely going to make this for Christmas morning maybe as muffins.
I’m not sure if I would make this for myself but I do think my mother would like it.
will have to try this one, will have starter ready to bake in a couple of days
I think I will keep this recipe for February when we celebrate Presidents Day with cherries. I plan on making these in cupcake form for easy sharing.
Looks yummy , never have baked with canned cherries will have to look for them. I’ll try it for sure.
I must try this. Anything with oatmeal catches my eye. What about Christmas morning? While the kiddos are involved opening and playing with their new treasures. The adults could chat and snack.
I’m not sure about this one only because my family isn’t huge poppy seed fans, but it does sound good as muffins.
I would make this recipe as a cake or muffins, and would add some almonds or almond flavoring.
Iam going to make this for christmas breakfast we do a brunch with the stockings.
i think id make it as a loaf
seems very interesting and yes id give it a whirl looks and sounds delicious
I have never baked this cake, but it is certainly one on my list to make for my husband. Might try this recipe by baking in muffin tins, my on the go family likes to head out with a warm muffin!
Oh, muffins or a bread loaf of this cake would be so yummy for our busy weekends.
This looks amazing! I’d make it in a muffin tin because that’s one of the few ways my daughter will eat anything right now…
My journey is only just starting–made the basic loaf and crepes last week. If I revived my starter well enough (whoops…) I’m going to try pancakes tonight! So glad I found this website!!
I LOVE cherries! Will definitely consider this in the future.
I would make this as muffins and take them to church for breakfast or bible study!
I love this… is there a way to adjust this to making it in my bread pans rather then the cake pan? I’m drooling. Thank You
Hi Kristy! Yes, you can absolutely do this in your bread pans. Our Conversion Tables page has all the info you need to figure out the different ways to adapt a recipe: https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/conversion-tables/. Good luck and post a picture of your bread on our Facebook page, we’d love to see it!