Moist Gluten-Free Bird Cherry Almond Cake (Low-Carb)

Published: February 28, 2026
Donna JacksonDonna Jackson
Categories: European, Cakes, Gluten-Free
Tags: Dessert, Fruit, gluten-free, Low-Carb, Cake, European
A warm, rustic slice of Moist Gluten-Free Bird Cherry Almond Cake on a ceramic dessert plate. Visible elements: tender almond cake crumb, glossy cooked bird cherry compote pockets, a thin lemon cream cheese glaze, and a sprinkle of sliced almonds. Cuisine style: European-inspired dessert, home-baked presentation. Lighting: soft natural light, shallow depth of field, cozy tabletop styling with a linen napkin and a fork. IMPORTANT: No text, no labels, no captions, no words on the image. Pure food photography only.

Bird Cherry Cake

This cake is one of those comforting, slightly nostalgic desserts I love to make when late-summer fruit appears — here I use cooked bird cherries folded into an almond-flour base for a tender, naturally fragrant loaf that's both gluten-free and low-carb. The crumb is moist from butter and eggs, and a whisper of lemon and almond extract brightens each bite.

I like to gently cook the bird cherries first to tame their tart edges and concentrate flavor, then fold them into the batter so you get little ruby pockets throughout. Finish it with a light lemon cream-cheese glaze and a scatter of sliced almonds for crunch — perfect with tea or as a simple celebratory cake.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Almond flour
  • 2 tbsp Coconut flour
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Granular erythritol (or preferred low-carb sweetener)
  • 6 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 pieces Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp Almond extract
  • 1 tsp Lemon zest
  • 1 cup Bird cherries, pitted and cooked down with 1 tbsp sweetener
  • 4 oz Cream cheese, softened (for glaze)
  • 2 tbsp Powdered erythritol (for glaze)
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice (for glaze)
  • 2 tbsp Sliced almonds (optional topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line and lightly grease an 8-inch round cake pan or an 8x4-inch loaf pan and set aside.

  2. Prepare the bird cherries: in a small saucepan combine 1 cup pitted bird cherries and 1 tbsp granular erythritol. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cherries release juices and soften, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.

  3. In a large bowl whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, and the 1/2 cup granular erythritol until evenly combined.

  4. In a separate bowl whisk the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and lemon zest until smooth.

  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently until mostly combined. Fold in the cooled bird cherries, reserving any juicy pan liquid to stir in if the batter seems too thick.

  6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Scatter sliced almonds across the surface if using.

  7. Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 30–35 minutes (time will vary by oven and pan). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

  8. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  9. Make the glaze: beat the softened cream cheese with powdered erythritol and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Spread thinly over the cooled cake and let set for 10–15 minutes before slicing.

Tips & Notes

  • If fresh bird cherries aren't available, substitute a low-sugar jarred cherry compote or frozen cherries that you've thawed and gently cooked down.
  • To keep this cake very low-carb, use powdered erythritol for the glaze and check sweetener labels for carb impact.
  • Almond flour can vary by brand — if the batter looks too loose, add 1 tbsp coconut flour; if too dry, stir in 1–2 tbsp heavy cream or the reserved cherry juices.