Shirley Temple Cake

Our Shirley Temple cake combines the zesty citrus kick of lemon-lime soda with maraschino cherries, creating a visually stunning and crowd-pleasing treat for any occasion.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 20

Rest Time1

Total Time2 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Shirley Temple Cake Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 667kcal

Ingredients

Cake batter

1½ cups salted butter, softened to room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned, leveled, and sifted)
2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup lemon-lime soda
10 ounces maraschino cherries, or 283-gram stems removed, pat dry, and juice reserved (plus 10-12 extra cherries for optional garnish. The reserved cherry juice should measure ½ cup)

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons half and half
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Using a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl (3 to 4 quarts) and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 2 to 2½ minutes or until light and fluffy.
Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time until no yellow streaks remain.
Add in the sifted flour. Mix just until combined.
Add in the lemon and vanilla extract. Mix just until combined.
Slowly add the lemon-lime soda. Continue mixing until well incorporated. At first, the batter will seem curdled, mix just until the batter is smooth.
Fold in the cherries.
Spray a 10-cup bundt pan with baker’s spray. You can use Baker’s Joy or a generic version.
Spoon the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes away clean. Allow the rest in the pan for 15 minutes. Place a serving plate over the top of the bundt pan, then flip the cake over to rest on top of the plate. Carefully lift the bundt pan off of the cake.
Use a bamboo skewer to poke holes in the cake top.
Slowly drizzle the reserved cherry juice over the top of the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Add the sifted powdered sugar to a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the half and half and the lemon extract until smooth.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bundt cake. Garnish the top of the cake with the extra 10-12 maraschino cherries. Slice and serve.

Notes

Ensure that your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This helps achieve a smoother batter and better incorporation of ingredients.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cake as the suggested baking time approaches.
It’s best to make the holes in the cake while it is still slightly warm because as it cools, the crust on top of the cake will crumble more easily.

Nutrition