This high protein cherry chip cake is a remake of a childhood favorite. Every February, my mom pulled a box of Betty Crocker Cherry Chip cake mix off the shelf and made it with their cherry frosting. That was my birthday cake every single year. She made it once and it was my requested cake every year after that. So sugary, so cherry… it was perfection as a kid.
And then Betty Crocker made it nearly impossible to find. If you know, you know… that mix has been disappearing from shelves for years, and when you do spot it, it’s priced like a collector’s item. I bought it a couple of times off of Amazon for an exorbitant amount of money. And then I started getting into nutrition. I lowered my added sugars. The price, the hunt and the sugar all stopped me in my tracks. I had to figure out how to make it fit the way I eat now.
This high protein cherry chip cake started the same way all my loaf cakes start: with the Kodiak pancake mix base I use for my chocolate version and my Biscoff cake. I swapped in maraschino cherry juice for some of the liquid, folded finely chopped cherries through the batter, and added almond extract because I love the way cherry and almond taste together.
The result is a pink-tinged loaf with bits of cherry that gives a nod to the cake I grew up eating. But this one has 182 calories and 15g of protein per frosted slice… and no protein powder! The frosting is a mix of vanilla yogurt, sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix, and a splash of milk. It sets up thick enough to spread right on top of the cooled loaf. It’s creamy, slightly tangy, and has a subtle sweetness.
My boys and my hubs now make this for me in February, which is the sweetest thing. They know the story, they know this is my cake, and they make it for me, even when we’re off camping.
I keep this one in the fridge (just like all my loaf cakes) and slice off a piece whenever I want something sweet. It pairs well with fresh berries or a little extra yogurt on the side. And if you’re tracking, the macros are posted below so you can log it and move on with your day.
(Strawberry, lemon, and key lime versions of this loaf cake base are coming eventually. Stay tuned.)
High Protein Cherry Chip Cake
15g protein per frosted slice
35-40 minutes to bake
Makes 8 slices
Ingredients
190g Kodiak Buttermilk Power Cakes Flapjack & Waffle Mix
230g Oikos Pro vanilla yogurt
2 large eggs
60g unsweetened applesauce
60 ml Fairlife skim milk
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice (from the jar)
3 tsp granulated monk fruit (Lakanto)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
12 maraschino cherries, stems removed, drained, and finely chopped
Frosting
200g Oikos Pro vanilla yogurt
15g sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix (Jello)
30 ml Fairlife skim milk
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Remove stems from the maraschino cherries. Pat dry with a paper towel and finely chop. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the Kodiak mix, monk fruit, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, eggs, applesauce, milk, cherry juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Gently fold in the finely chopped cherries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan.
- For the frosting: In a small bowl, stir together the vanilla yogurt, sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix, and milk until smooth and thick.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled loaf. Slice into 8 even pieces. Store in the fridge.
If you want more cherry flavor, add a splash of extra cherry juice to the frosting too. It’s not included in the macros below.
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Nutrition Info
Search MyFitnessPal for:
RJF High Protein Cherry Chip Cake
Per Frosted Slice:
182 calories
15g protein | 24.5g carbs |
3g fats
2g fiber
I’m a mom of three who fell in love with nutrition and strength training after having kids. Now I create simple, high-protein recipes and healthy living ideas that help busy moms fuel their families well and make nourishing food a normal part of everyday life.