Summer Stone Fruit Cake

This bright stone fruit cake shows off how sweet summer produce can be. Fresh cherries and nectarine slices combine in a simple cake batter to make a juicy and bright bite.

Simple Summer Stone Fruit Cake

Turning on the oven in the summer isn't always ideal. However, this simple summer stone fruit cake will make it worth it every single time. The cake takes fresh cherries and nectarines and slices them into chunks, then bakes them in a thick batter to make a simple slice of cake that is perfect for any hot day.

What I love most about this cake is you can switch up the fruit with pretty much whatever you'd like. Try peaches, plums, apricots, or any combination of stone fruit. Cherries and nectarines are some of my favorite fruit combinations to use in the summer when making cakes, pies, and galettes.

This seasonal stone fruit cake is also pretty simple to make. Everything can be made in one bowl. The hardest part about making this cake is pitting the cherries. For this step, I highly recommend getting a cherry pitter. It will make the process go by so quickly.

Looking for more summer dessert ideas? Cool off with my chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches, or enjoy these summer s'mores cookie bars.

Why I Love This Summer Stone Fruit Cake

Summer Flavors - This cake shows off summer produce in the best way possible.
Light and Bright - The cake is light and sweet, showing off the fruit in the simple batter.
Versatile - The fruit can easily be switched, making for endless combinations.

Ingredients Needed To Make Summer Stone Fruit Cake

See below for all the details on what you'll need to make the full recipe.

Cherries - Pit the cherries and chop them into chunks.
Nectarines - Slices the nectarines into equal-sized pieces.
Canola oil - The oil keeps the cake nice and moist.
Sour Cream - Makes a nice crumb when baked.
Brown sugar - Keeps the cake sweet and moist.

Directions For How To Make Summer Stone Fruit Cake

Prepare.
Preheat the oven to 350. Generously spray a bundt pan with grease or cooking spray. Set to the side.
Mix dry ingredients.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set to the side.
Mix wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, and orange juice. Add in the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Continue to whisk until the mixture is fully combined.
Combine and add fruit.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix with a whisk or rubber spatula until fully combined. Add in the fruit and use a rubber spatula to evenly distribute the mixture.
Bake the cake.
Add the batter to the bundt pan and bake the cake until golden brown, about 45-55 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the bundt pan on a cooling rack. Take the cake out of the pan and add glaze if using.

Serving Suggestions

This cake has several bold and sweet flavors coming from the fruit, so it doesn't really need anything to accompany it. If you want to make it sweeter, you can drizzle a simple vanilla glaze over the top of the bundt cake. The cake also tastes great next to a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

A slice of cherry and nectarine stone fruit cake on a plate.

Make Ahead and Storage

While it is best to make this cake fresh, it can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container until ready to serve, about 1-2 days. If you are making the cake more than two days in advance, it is best to freeze it and defrost it when ready to serve.

Extra cake can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic for 4-5 days. It can also be frozen for 2-3 months.

Tips and Variations

Switch Up The Fruit - Summer fruit is so sweet and lends to so many flavors. Try peaches, plum, or apricots.
Cutting the Fruit - Don't worry about the pieces of fruit being uniform in the batter. Use slices or larger chunks of similar size.
Thick Batter - The batter for this cake is thick and dense. If it looks thin, double-check the measurements.

A close up of cherry and nectarine stone fruit cake with cherries on the cake plate.

FAQs

What is stone fruit?

Stone fruit is a piece of fruit with a pit or "stone" inside. Peaches, plums, and cherries all fall in the stone fruit category.

When is the stone fruit in season?

Most stone fruit is in season in the summer months, starting in early April and ending in late September.

Can you make this cake with other varieties of fruit?

Yes! The cake batter is very versatile and can be used with pretty much all kinds of fruit. Apples, berries, and even dried fruit will work well in this cake.