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Stunning plated serving of Cherry Walnut Crumble Cake, a chef-tested recipe by Chef Jorj Morgan.
Jorj Morgan

Cherry Walnut Crumble Cake

This elegant Cherry Walnut Crumble Cake features a dense, spiced crumb cradling a vibrant ribbon of tart cherries and bright orange zest. Crowned with a generous, buttery walnut streusel, each warm slice delivers a beautiful harmony of fruit, spice, and satisfying crunch.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

The Cherry Citrus Ribbon
  • 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted with stems removed
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 medium orange, about 2 teaspoons
The Walnut Streusel
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts, about 3 ounces
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
The Cake Batter
  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 ½ cups butter, room temperature, 3 sticks
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs

Method
 

Macerating the Fruit
  1. Chop the cherries on a board with a sharp knife and place them into a bowl. Stir in the sugar and orange zest.
Building the Streusel
  1. Place the flour, walnuts and brown sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine.
  2. Pour in the melted butter and pulse 2 or 3 more times.
Make the Cake Batter
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch square cake pan with vegetable oil spray.
  2. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
  3. Use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in the eggs.
  4. Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing only until just combined to prevent overworking the gluten.
The Layering & Bake
  1. Spread half of the batter into the pan.
  2. Drain excess juice from the cherry filling and spoon onto the batter.
  3. Dollop the remaining batter over the top and spread with a spatula to somewhat cover the cherries. This doesn’t have to be perfect!
  4. Run a knife through the batter to swirl everything together.
  5. Sprinkle the streusel on top.
  6. Bake until the coffee cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes.