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Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake

This 4 ingredient Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake is crazy easy and crazy delicious! Crunch cakes used to be the THING to make in the 60's, but this was the first I've had. Trust me, this turns out delicious!

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This Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake was a small little blip recipe in a vintage cookbook that I was looking through the other day. I almost missed it, it was such a tiny recipe but luckily my eyes did land on it. I mulled over the 4 ingredients for a while…would this really turn out tasty? I trusted the old recipe – they usually are pretty reliable- and low and behold, I made a crunch cake. And it was flippin’ AWESOME!

a slice of Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake in a white plate

Raise your hand if you have heard about lemon cherry crunch cakes before.

The biggest surprise was that Mike loved this. He doesn’t like walnuts at all (what a weirdo) and hasn’t really enjoyed any cake mix creations that I’ve made. He made sure that he wrapped it up and put it in the fridge for the next three days so that he could have it every night with coffee. I don’t know how that man stays so skinny, seriously.

 Close up of a Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake on a white plate
Close up of a Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake on a white plate

This cake is so easy to make as well, I can’t get over it. I hadn’t ever heard of mixing a cake mix with butter and baking it into a cake, or more like a square, I guess and having it turn out like this. The walnuts are definitely needed in this cake as they help to not only add crunch which is awesome, but they cut the sweetness of the cake mix as well.

It’s also not as overpoweringly sweet as I thought it would be – but it’s definitely a sweet treat.

close up Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake
Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake on a white plate

So, has anyone else ever had a crunch cake before? It seems that it was a very 1950’s/1960’s concoction – as were most things made with cake mixes. Those ladies sure liked their easy recipes! This is one that I will absolutely make again – if it wasn’t so easy, I swear I’d put it in my next cookbook as well, it’s that awesome.

Happy (barely) baking!

Love,

Karlynn

Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake

This 4 ingredient Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake is crazy easy and crazy delicious! Crunch cakes used to be the THING to make in the 60’s, but this was the first I’ve had. Trust me, this turns out delicious!
5 from 4 votes
Close up of a Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake on a white plate
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Total Time
50 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Servings
8
Calories
435
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 1/2 cup salted butter melted
  • 1 box lemon cake mix
  • 2 cans cherry pie filling
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Stir the butter into the dry cake mix until crumbly. I use my hands, it works better.
  • Set aside half of the mixture for the top of the cake. Pat the remaining mixture into a 13×9 greased baking pan.
  • Spread the 2 cans of pie filling over the crumb mixture, making sure the bottom crust remains intact.
  • Blend the chopped nuts and the reserved mixture together.
  • Sprinkle over the top of the pie filling.
  • Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes until the top is well browned and crunchy.
  • Remove and cool.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 435kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 572mg, Potassium: 94mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 355IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 154mg, Iron: 1.8mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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This 4 ingredient Lemon Cherry Crunch Cake is crazy easy and super delicious! Put this one on your regular baking list, it will be a new favourite! #baking #cakemix #recipe #recipes #sweets #dessert #cake #lemon #cherry

Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

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Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Stella says

    The lemon cherry crunch cake is way too sweet and it appears that the measurements are off. No way that 1 cake box can do a 9 x 13 pan. Disappointed with it,

    • Aileen says

      I use a 13 x 9 pan for cakes and have for at least 40 years. I only use one box of mix and the cake always rises to the top of the pan. There is also a 10.25 x 14.75 pan. (10 x 15 in some brands) Check your pan size.

  2. Cliff Weisner says

    Okay, there really is nothing better than sex but that cake runs a close second….a real close seond. I love all of the recipes you share. They are all so quick, easy and delicious. I am looking for a recipe I watched on a quick video like these and it calls for a o×9 inch baking pan, sweet hawaiian dinner rolls shaved with Swiss cheese slices and Canadian bacon. But there is a sauce that you pour over the top that carmelizes
    Over the top. I am drooling just thinking about it. I just need the ingredients for that sauce please.5 stars

  3. Scott says

    How do I understand I can’t get rid of this stuff

5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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