Orange Cherry Bundt Cake

If you’re looking for a rich orange cake filled with bursts of cherries, this is the recipe for you. Best of all, the is a simple cake that starts with a box of cake mix! 

At a Glance: Orange Cherry Bundt Cake

👩‍🍳 Skill Level: Beginner to intermediate
🥄 Flavor Profile: Bright orange citrus with sweet bursts of cherry
🧁 Options Included: Bundt cake with glaze, powdered sugar, or cream cheese frosting
🎯 Best For: Spring brunches, Easter, or cheerful birthday celebrations

Baking with Pie Filling in the Cake

This project started rather innocently. My step-mom Jeanene gave me several boxes of flavored cake mixes: coconut, lemon, cherry, and banana. I happened to have a can of pie filling on hand and decided I was in the mood to bake. Could I take that can of cherry pie filling and merge it with one of those cake mixes she had given me? That was the challenge I gave myself. 

This wouldn’t be the first time I’d baked a can of pie filling into a cake. My Strawberry Pie Filling cake was made with a white cake mix. And my Black Forest Bundt cake started with a chocolate cake mix. I even made an Apple Carrot cake using a can of apple pie filling. 

But this time? Well, I was looking for a completely different flavor profile. Which box of flavored cake mix would I use? 

Orange You Glad I Chose Orange? 

In the end, I settled on my favorite: orange. I absolutely love orange cake. And the idea of adding berries? Well, that sounded delicious. I also decided to toss in some chopped pecans. (Because…why not?) 

And I’m here to tell you, this one was a rousing success. The light, bright orange flavor was lovely against the sweetness of the cherries, and the crunch of those pecans? Well, it was perfection! 

But, I’m getting ahead of myself! Let’s take a peek at what you’ll need to make this cake. 

Orange Cherry Bundt Cake Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need. These are simple ingredients you can find at your local grocery store. 

For the cake:

• 1 box (15.25 ounce) orange cake
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 3 room temperature eggs
• ¾ cup chopped pecans 

For the cream cheese glaze

• 4 ounces room temperature cream cheese
• 1 stick (½ cup) butter, room temperature
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• Orange extract

How to Make Orange Cherry Bundt Cake

This one comes together so quickly! You won’t believe how easy it is. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Spray a bundt cake with Baker’s Joy or other baking spray. 

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment) add all of the ingredients except the pecans. 

Mix until well incorporated. The cherries will break down a little but you want them to mostly remain intact. 

Stir in the chopped pecans. 

Spoon batter into prepared pan. 

Place in preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake springs back to the touch. A toothpick should come out clean. Remove and place on wire rack to cool. 

After a few minutes, turn out the cake onto the rack to continue cooling. It’s important to bring the temperature of this cake all the way down before frosting. (Ask me how I know.) 

Once completely cooled, add cream cheese frosting in a zig-zag pattern. 

Serve and enjoy! 

Store leftover cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for 4-5 days. You can freeze this cake to eat later if you prefer. 

What to Expect from this Cake

I’ve always loved orange cake. My mama’s Mandarin Orange cake still remains a personal favorite. I particularly love cherry pie filling so I knew I would adore this cake, even before it baked up.

When I opened the oven at the end of the bake, the aroma that greeted me was sheer perfection! I found myself sniffing my fingers after tapping the cake to make sure it was done. (They smelled delicious!)

And boy, did the cake ever taste delicious, too! The burst of cherries against that yummy orange cake? So delicious. And those chopped pecans? They’re the perfect addition! I loved the cream cheese frosting, too. This cake was yummy at room temperature and even better ice-cold! 

Variations to this Recipe

Strawberry Cake: Make this a Cherry Berry cake by switching out the orange cake for strawberry. 

Coconut: Cherry coconut cake? Yes, please! Start with a Dolly Parton coconut cake mix and add a cup of shredded coconut to the mix. 

Cherry Cake: Start with a simple white cake, skip the nuts, and add a can of cherry pie filling for a luscious cherry cake. 

Other Delicious Bundt Cakes from Out of the Box Baking

If you liked this bundt, consider some of these others! 

• Butter Pecan Bundt Cakes
• Easy Carrot Bundt Cake
• Easy Pineapple Coconut Cake
• Luscious Brown Butter Walnut Cake

That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you're at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 165 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.