I feel strongly that the proper ratio of crumbs on a coffee cake (or crumb cake) of 60% crumb (or more) and 40% cake. That is exactly what this delivers. This cake has a ridiculously thick amount of crumb, like so much that I warn you to cut it with a sharp knife as not to squish that tender cake underneath. It is my favorite flavor combo too. Cherry and chai just pair so well together, even Starbucks featured a cherry chai drink this year. So if your favorite fall order is a chai latte, and you love cherries like I do, you will just love this cake. It’s a tender, buttery sour cream coffee cake with a ribbon of cherry jam baked through the middle, buried under a thick, chai-spiced crumb topping. Every square is about half crumb (at least), which is exactly how a coffee crumb cake should be.

Cherry and chai sound like an odd couple, but they work the way cherry and almond or cherry and vanilla do. The tart, bright jam cuts through the warm cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and clove, and the sour cream cake keeps everything soft and moist.

This one went through multiple rounds of testing in my kitchen. The first version didn’t have enough batter for the pan, so I doubled it. The jam got lost, so I tripled it. And the chai flavor was too shy in the crumb, so I bumped up the spices until it tasted like a chai latte in cake form.

The result is an easy cherry coffee cake you can bake in an 8×8 pan for fall brunch, a holiday morning or a slow weekend with a pot of coffee (or, obviously, a chai latte).

Why You’ll Love This Cherry Coffee Cake

A crumb topping that’s half the cake. This is a true coffee crumb cake: big, buttery, brown sugar crumbs piled thick on top.
Chai flavor you can actually taste. Ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice and clove go into the crumb with a generous dose of cinnamon, so it tastes like chai, not just cinnamon.
A cherry jam layer in every bite. Spreading jam between two layers of batter means no sinking fruit and no soggy spots.
Soft, moist sour cream cake. A mix of butter and a little oil keeps the cake tender for days.
One 8×8 pan. It’s easy to make, easy to slice and perfect for a small crowd.

What You’ll Need for Cherry Coffee Cake.

Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Brown sugar makes the crumb rich and a little chewy; granulated sugar keeps it crisp.
Chai spices: Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Yes, it’s a lot of cinnamon. In early tests the chai flavor disappeared under all that butter and brown sugar, so the amounts are intentionally bold.
Melted butter and flour: Melted butter turns the crumb into a dough you can squeeze into big clumps.

This crumb is adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction‘s crumb cake, with a full chai spice blend added.

For the sour cream coffee cake

Sour cream: Makes the cake moist and tender with a slight tang. Full-fat works best.
Butter plus a little oil: Butter gives flavor, and the oil keeps the cake soft even on day three.
All-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda: Spoon and level the flour so the cake doesn’t turn dry.
Eggs, sugar, vanilla and kosher salt: Use room-temperature eggs and sour cream so the batter mixes smoothly.

For the cherry layer

Cherry jam: Use a good-quality jam or preserves with visible fruit. Tart or sour cherry jam is especially good against the sweet crumb. I kept adding jam through testing until the cherry flavor held its own against all that crumb.

Ingredient notes

Cherry jam: Use a good-quality jam or preserves with visible fruit. Tart cherry or sour cherry jam is especially good against the sweet crumb. I started with ¼ cup and kept adding until the cherry flavor held its own; ¾ cup is the sweet spot.
Butter plus oil: Butter gives flavor, and the small amount of oil keeps the cake soft even on day three.
Sour cream: It makes the cake moist and tender with a slight tang. Full-fat works best.
The spices: Yes, it’s a lot of cinnamon. In early tests the chai flavor disappeared under all that brown sugar and butter, so the spice amounts are intentionally bold.

How to Make Chai Cherry Coffee Cake

Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan and line it with a parchment sling, leaving overhang on two sides so you can lift the cake out.
Make the chai crumb topping. In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir until combined. Add the flour and mix with a fork or spatula until it forms a thick, crumbly dough. Set aside while you make the batter.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt.
Cream the butter and sugar. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter, oil and granulated sugar on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Add the sour cream and mix until smooth, scraping down the bowl.
Add the dry ingredients. Mix on low just until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thick.
Layer the cake. Spread half the batter evenly in the pan. Dollop the cherry jam over the batter and gently spread it into an even layer, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Dollop the remaining batter over the jam and carefully spread it to cover.
Add the crumb. Break the crumb dough into a mix of large and small clumps and scatter it evenly over the batter. It will look like a lot. That’s the point. Press very lightly so it sticks.
Bake. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (a little jam on it is fine).
Cool completely. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 1 hour so the jam and crumb set. Lift it out with the parchment and cut into squares.

Tips for the Best Cherry Crumb Cake

Bake low and slow. 325°F gives the thick crumb time to bake through without the edges overbrowning before the center sets.
Don’t skimp on the batter. My first test used half this amount, and it wasn’t enough to cover the jam in an 8×8 pan. This amount gives you a solid layer below and above the cherries.
Leave a border around the jam. Keeping the jam ½ inch from the edges stops it from scorching against the hot pan and helps the top layer seal it in.
Make big crumbs. Melted butter makes a dough you can squeeze into clumps. Mix large and small pieces for the best texture.
Let it cool fully. Warm jam is molten. Cutting too soon smears the layers and makes the crumb fall off.

Variations, Make-Ahead and Storage

Variations

Cherry almond coffee cake: Add ½ teaspoon almond extract to the batter with the vanilla, and scatter sliced almonds over the crumb before baking.
Swap the jam: Raspberry, blackberry or apricot jam all work in the same amount.
More chai and apple: If you love these flavors, try my Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Chai Spice or Apple Cider Blondies.

Make ahead: Make the crumb topping up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Break it into clumps straight from the fridge. The whole cake can also be baked a day ahead; it slices even more neatly the next day.

Storage: Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature or warm briefly before serving.

Freezing: Wrap cooled squares individually in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Chai Cherry Coffee Cake FAQ

Can I use fresh or frozen cherries instead of jam?

I developed this recipe with cherry jam on purpose. Jam gives you concentrated cherry flavor in every bite and stays put between the layers, while fresh or frozen cherries release liquid and tend to sink. I haven’t tested this exact cake with whole cherries, so for guaranteed results, stick with jam.

What’s the difference between coffee cake and crumb cake?

Coffee cake is a broad term for a tender, lightly sweet cake meant to go with coffee. Crumb cake is a type of coffee cake with an extra-thick crumb topping, often as thick as the cake itself. This chai cherry coffee cake is both.

What spices are in chai?

Chai blends usually include cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and clove, sometimes with allspice, nutmeg or black pepper. This crumb uses cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice and cloves.

Why is my crumb topping sandy instead of chunky?

The butter probably wasn’t fully melted, or the flour was over-measured. Spoon and level your flour, use fully melted butter and squeeze the mixture into clumps with your fingers.

Can I make this coffee cake ahead?

Yes. Bake it up to a day ahead, cool completely, cover and keep it at room temperature. You can also make the crumb topping a day ahead and refrigerate it.

Do cherry and coffee go together?

Yes. Tart cherry is a classic match for coffee, the same way cherry and dark chocolate are. This cake is made to be served with a cup of coffee, or a chai latte.

More Coffee Cakes and Crumb Cakes to Try

Cherry Chai Coffee Cake

A tender sour cream coffee cake with a cherry jam layer and a thick chai-spiced crumb topping.

Servings 16

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Equipment

8 x 8" pan

Ingredients

Chai Crumb

1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar, 200g
1/2 cup granulated sugar, 100g
1 cup unsalted butter (16 tbsp; 226g), melted
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), 313g
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp all-spice
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Cake

10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, 142g
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar, 200g
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, 240g
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cup all-purpose flour, 252g
3/4 cup cherry jam

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8×8 pan and line it with parchment paper. Cut the parchment paper longer to create an overhang; this will help you remove the crumb cake once it cools.

Chai Crumb Topping

First, make the chai crumb topping. In a mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter.
Mix until just combined. Next, add the flour and all of your spices. Use a fork to mix in the flour. Don't overmix; you want the crumb to have large chunks. Set in the fridge while you make the cake. Note: the crumbs can stay in the fridge, covered for up to 3 hours before making the cake.