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    Home » Wild Fruit

    Siberian Bird Cherry Cake

    Published: Aug 27, 2022 Modified: Mar 22, 2024 Author: Alan Bergo

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Tasting like the soul of cherry with an intense aroma of almond, traditional Siberian bird cherry cake (Черемуха) is made using dried wild cherry flour. It's the finest wild black cherry recipe I've ever made, and probably my favorite dessert of all time, so saying every forager should try it once is an understatement. 

    Traditional Siberian Bird Cherry Cake
    Behold the bird cherry cake (and my amateur frosting skills). 

    Today I'll walk you through my version of the cake, with some background to help you understand why I love it so much. 

    Wild black cherries or Prunus serotina
    You're going to need wild cherries, and a bunch of them.

    Bird Cherry

    First, the cherry. The bird in bird cherry cake comes from the name of a specific cherry: the bird cherry or Prunus padus (Черемуха). Zeroing in on the exact species used for the traditional Siberian dessert is a little confusing though. 

    Wild chokecherries or Prunus virginiana
    Chokecherries and many others can be use in place of bird cherries.

    Besides Prunus padus, there's also a cherry native to the same region called Prunus avium, which literally translates to bird cherry. I think both cherries could potentially be used to make the cake, but P. avium is said to be more bitter and P. padus I see mentioned repeatedly online and in print (one book that mentions it specifically is Magnus Nilsons Faviken.)

    Sand cherries or Prunus pumila
    Prunus pumila, the sand cherry is another candidate.

    Cherry Pits: A Traditional Almond Seasoning 

    The magic of the cake is that it's made not from wheat flour, but from roughly half wheat flour and half dehydrated, ground, sifted wild cherries. If you caught my discussion Cherry Pits: A Traditional Almond Seasoning, you'll know that cherry stones are often seen as toxic or hazardous as they contain Amygdalin-a potentially dangerous glycoside that your body converts into cyanide.

    Cherry kernels or stones
    Stone fruit kernels have been used in traditional foods for a long time.

    You'll also know that at the very least, there's three heavily documented examples of different cultures around the world drying wild cherries whole and using them, shell fragments and all, as as a traditional food. 

    Bird cherry flour made from chokecherries
    Sifted wild cherry flour ready for baking.

    Drying and cooking denatures the amygdalin, making it safe to consume. My friend Linda Black Elk, a Native American ethnobotanist, also told me that she worked with a lab to determine exactly when the amygdalin starts to break down during the process of making chanpah (chokecherry patties).

    Dried wild plum cakes
    Dried cakes of wild fruit. pictured are from wild plums with the stones removed.

    Linda mentioned breaking open the shell and exposing the stones to air also begins the denaturization process, which would make sense as the almond aroma of ground, wild cherries quickly dissipates after grinding into flour, and I assume the aroma of almond and presence of amygdalin are linked. 

    Bird Cherry Flour as a Commercial Product 

    Siberian bird cherry flour is simply dried, whole wild cherries that have been ground into a flour. It's known by Muscovites and expats, and, you can even buy it on Amazon, which should tell you something about it's popularity.

    Grinding dried cherries in a vitamix dry bowl

    While commercially produced bird cherry flour can work, and I've tried it, the flavor is muted and much softer than if you grind your own. 

    Cherries I've used 

    Each cherry will give a slightly different character to the finished cake. Chokecherries keep a tiny bit of their astringency, black cherries I find to be the most well-rounded, but there's many that can be used. So far I've used pin cherries, black and chokecherries, sand cherries, as well as an ornamental I don't know the name of. 

    Wild cherries: pIn cherry sand cherry chokecherry

    Making cherry flour 

    Making the flour is straight-forward, with the right equipment. Just toss your (clean) cherries into a dehydrator on high and forget about them for a couple days. Once the cherries are bone-dry, you grind what you need as fine as possible and sift once or twice before cooking. Dried cherries will keep in a pantry for years. 

    It is extremely important to use a fine mesh screen here. If you don't have a tamis sieve as pictured below and you want to make this, just buy one. I use this one. 

    Grinding and sifting dried chokecherries
    You'll want a tamis sieve for sifting. Here's the one I use.

    After you're done sifting the cherry flour you'll have some bits of shells and pieces leftover. You can toss them, but there's a lot of flavor trapped in them so I like to keep my leftovers in a bag in the freezer.

    Leftover shell fragments from making wild cherry flour
    Leftover shell fragments. I save these.

    The leftover shells and bits of cherry are wonderful infused in liquors and infusions, syrups, and places where you want the aroma but not the texture. Another important thing to know is that cherry flour loses it's aroma quickly, so I only grind what I need for a recipe. 

    Wild Cherry liquor made from dried chokecherries
    Wild cherry liquor made from the sifted leftovers.

    How to Make Bird Cherry Cake

    The cake is easy. Whip some eggs with sugar, then add some dry ingredients and bake. As the cake is made with half flour, it has a more firm, chewy texture than most cakes, which also improves its shelf life. 

    Once the cake is made and cooled it's traditionally coated with a sour cream frosting. Heretical though it might be, I love cream cheese frosting and fruit, so I make a frosting tinted into pastel with my wild cherry gastrique or another fruit syrup.

    Cutting and frosting Russian Bird Cherry cake
    Cutting the cake in half.
    Cutting and frosting Russian Bird Cherry cake
    I like two layers. Some people do more.
    Cutting and frosting Russian Bird Cherry cake
    Frosting the middle.
    Cutting and frosting Russian Bird Cherry cake
    Finishing with almonds pressed into the sides.

    Syrups made from different cherries will give different colors. Wild grape reduction makes a nice purple one-see below. 

    Siberian bird cherry cake with wild grape frosting

    Shell fragments 

    I've gotten a few messages about the shell fragments. To be very clear, yes, there will be tiny fragments of shell left in the cake. This is why the sifter you use is so important.

    Grinding and sifting dried chokecherries to make bird cherry flour

    Very small pieces of shell are traditional, and add a texture to the cake that will grow on you. It's not unpleasant, sandy, or a danger to your pearly whites, as long as you have a fine mesh sifter. 

    Variations 

    This is more than just an incredible cake made from foraged cherries. I've used the same proportions here to make cakes with flour from different fruits and all of them are unique.

    Flour made from dried, foraged fruit
    Top to bottom: Aronia, chokecherry, wild plum, serviceberry, wild grape.

    Wild plums (stones removed before drying) have a sour, tart edge. Aronia berries are mild tasting but have an intense color. Serviceberries are sweet with a milder almond taste than cherries. 

    Bird cherry cake made with wild grape flour
    Wild grape flour makes an intense purple cake.

    Wild grapes make a tart, and deeply grapey version with slightly more seed particles. Use your imagination, but try the original first. 

    The best part of the cake is the conversation you'll have while guests eat it. After people have had a few bites, I like to reiterate that there's no almond extract in the cake. The din of pleasure sounds that follow make good cover for you to sneak another slice before it's gone. 

    Traditional Siberian Bird Cherry Cake with cherry frosting
    Traditional Siberian Bird Cherry Cake
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Siberian Bird Cherry Cake

    A modified version of traditional bird cherry cake made with dried, sifted wild cherry flour is one of the most incredible desserts you will ever taste.
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Cooling time2 hours hrs
    Total Time3 hours hrs
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Russian
    Keyword: Bird cherry, Chokecherry
    Servings: 16 Servings
    Calories: 218kcal
    Author: Alan Bergo

    Equipment

    • 1 spring form pan
    • 1 spice grinder or vita mix
    • 1 sifter

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 1 heaping cup 150 g dried wild cherries. Or 1 cup of ground, sifted cherry flour.
    • 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, or equivalent
    • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • 2 large eggs, room temperature
    • ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
    • 1 cup (235 g) full-fat sour cream
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or Galium Vanilla Extract

    Cherry frosting

    • 12 ounces (340 g) full-fat cream cheese
    • 4 ounces (115 g) unsalted butter
    • 4 ounces (115 g) powdered sugar
    • Pinch kosher salt
    • 3 tablespoons cherry gastrique optional, this is mostly for color
    • 3 ounces (85 g) sliced almonds, toasted, for garnish

    Instructions

    Make the cherry flour

    • Grind the cherries as fine as possible in a spice grinder or high-speed blender.
    • If you use a spice grinder for the cherries, it will be very loud, and you’ll want to grind 2 or 3 tablespoons at a time. Sift the cherry flour, saving the shells to make Wild Cherry Liqueur.
    • Sift the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder together, then mix thoroughly with the cherry flour and reserve. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter an 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan.
    • Whisk the eggs and sugar until doubled in volume, about 5 minutes, then whisk in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Fold in the cherry flour mix until completely combined.

    Baking

    • Pour the batter into the pan, making sure it’s evenly distributed (I use a small offset spatula to smooth the top, but a wet spoon also works). Bake for 25 minutes or until just set. Remove the cake and cool.

    Frosting

    • To make the frosting, whip the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, salt and cherry gastrique (if you’re using it) on high until light, fluffy, and doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and whip the hell out of it to get it smooth.

    Assembly

    • Now you’re ready to assemble your cake. Using a long knife, preferably 10 inches (26 cm) or longer, carefully cut the cake in half horizontally, keeping the layers as equal as possible.
    • Spread a generous amount of the frosting on the bottom layer of the cake (you’re looking for a good ½ inch / 1.25 cm here) then put on the top and spread on the rest of the frosting using an offset spatula or a spoon.
    • Gently press the almonds into the sides of the cake to help cover up any lightly frosted areas or exposed seam, then slice and serve.
    • Kept in the fridge, lightly covered with cling film, the cake will last for a week.

    Video

    Notes

    Many different types of wild cherries can be used here, such as black cherries, pin cherries, or sand cherries. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 582IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

    Related Posts

    Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila)

    Cherry Pits: A Traditional Almond Seasoning

    Sweet and Sour Wild Cherry, Berry or Grape Syrup

    « Green Pumpkin Pie
    Wild Blueberry-Hazelnut Cake with Meadowsweet Cream »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenny

      August 18, 2024 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      Pretty sure this is the most perfect thing I have ever baked. I was worried it wouldn't work out at altitude in Colorado but it was great - so flavorful, so moist. I picked and dried a whole other batch of chokecherries so I can make this a few more times before next end of summer. I really think this chokecherry flour wants to be a christmas cookie. Looking forward to the chokecherry 'hooch' in a few months once its ready 🙂

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        August 19, 2024 at 11:53 am

        Hey thanks Jenny. It's probably my favorite dessert.

        Reply
    2. Nancy

      November 14, 2023 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      I just strained my wild cherry whiskey and plan to dry the cherries for flour for this cake. Is the whiskey flavor strong in the cake if using them post-whiskey soak?

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        November 14, 2023 at 9:51 am

        Hi Nancy. So, you'll probably notice the whiskey flavor a bit, and it will likely take the cherries longer to get bone dry, and they may shrivel up more than usual. That said I'd definitely try it and I don't think the flavor of the whiskey will be too much considering it's only one component of the cake.

        Reply
        • Nancy

          January 16, 2024 at 11:07 am

          I have a 60 mesh Tami’s screen and a Vitamix. Having a heck of a time getting any flour through that screen. Do you think the mesh is too fine? Thanks.

          Reply
          • Alan Bergo

            January 16, 2024 at 11:37 am

            I would assume so. As you can see in the video mine goes through just fine. I have the exact tamis sieve I use linked in the post. I'm here if you have more questions, the cake is sooo good, don't get discouraged. A learned skill. For clarity, here's my sieve.

            Reply
        • Nancy

          January 16, 2024 at 1:45 pm

          5 stars
          Yum! So much flavor!

          Reply
          • Alan Bergo

            January 20, 2024 at 1:03 pm

            Glad it worked for you.

            Reply
    3. Rose

      September 08, 2023 at 7:35 pm

      I found a gorgeous wild cherry tree and gave this a try. I’m not much of baker, but it turned out so well. I used chokeberry preserve in the frosting and it was a beautiful lavender color. Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        September 09, 2023 at 7:09 am

        Hey thanks Rose, this isn't the easiest recipe but it's sooo good. It's my all time favorite cake.

        Reply
      • Jenifer Bendlin

        October 05, 2023 at 6:26 am

        Do you think beautyberries would work for this? I have several bright beautiful purple burgeoning bushes around my yard and they're not going to last too much longer. Not sure why the birds aren't doing a better job but I will leave them their share regardless. (Probably too many pets.)

        Reply
        • Alan Bergo

          October 11, 2023 at 5:09 am

          I can’t speak to beautyberries as I haven’t had them.

          Reply
      • Alisha

        March 21, 2024 at 8:23 pm

        I just tried this with the wild black cherry I froze last year and it is quite amazing! A few questions:
        - what size of springform pan do you use?
        - what is the weight of the flour after you have ground and sifted it?
        - and when you make it with wild plums does your flour include the seeds? If so, is the vitamix up to the job? Thank you so much!

        Reply
        • Alan Bergo

          March 21, 2024 at 8:39 pm

          Hey Alisha,

          I have multiple spring forms I've used with this. 9.2 in and 9in both work fine. The important thing to consider is that the batter is very lean and wider pans will overcook it faster and dry it out. If I had to pick I'd use the 9in as it's easier to cook perfectly and also more forgiving when you're slicing it since it's taller.

          The weight of the flour should be a little denser then flour, but there's some variation possible / user-error as equipment for grinding sifting can vary from kitchen to kitchen. If you get anywhere from 4.5 oz to 5 oz of finished cherry flour after sifting it should work fine. I'll try to remember to weigh that when I make it next month. 1 level cup of sifted cherry flour after sifting is what you want, and I include "heaping cup" there to help ensure people produce enough cherry flour.

          I recommend using stoned, dried plums ground to a flour. Add a little candied citrus peel that's been chopped up. It's very tart.

          Reply
    4. Jen D

      September 25, 2022 at 12:11 pm

      This looks wonderful, i'm going to make it for my boyfriend with chokecherries. Just a question--I've used an electric spice grinder to grind chokecherries in the past and it's come out at a fine powder. You're talking about the shells surrounding the kernel, correct? Am I supposed to be grinding the cherries into bigger pieces so they can be sorted better? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        September 25, 2022 at 1:09 pm

        You are grinding the entire dried cherry, shell and all. After it’s ground you sift it using the finest sifter you can find. Please watch the video and read the text here. Let me know if that makes sense.

        Reply
    5. Wenche Eltervaag

      September 06, 2022 at 9:23 am

      Have you tried elderflower berriês?

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        September 06, 2022 at 11:46 am

        No I haven't. I would use cherries first.

        Reply
    6. Lynne

      September 03, 2022 at 8:32 am

      So excited to try this! I’ve made jelly, wine, and fruit leather and hate to toss the seeds. What is the best method to grind them fine? Grain grinder or Ninja?

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        September 03, 2022 at 10:26 am

        It will be rough on both of them, but if they're dry enough, and you don't have a vita or spice grinder I might try the grain mill. Obviously I can't speak to it personally, but I'd be interested to hear if it works. There's more than one way to get from point a to b here.

        Reply
        • Lynne

          September 05, 2022 at 9:36 pm

          I used a coffee grinder. It came out beautifully! Can’t wait to share this recipe!

          Reply
          • Stephanie

            April 14, 2024 at 4:22 pm

            5 stars
            I uses a grain grinder to make the flour out of dried chike cherry and black cherry, thinking I will bake this later but when I smelled the cherry flour I just couldn't wait. I had to try it right away and this was exceptional. I usually pick pies over cakes bit this one is incredible and everybody I know will get to try it! Thank you Alan for finding beautiful ways to use our wild food.

            Reply
            • Alan Bergo

              April 15, 2024 at 8:14 am

              Hey thanks for sharing Stephanie. There's a lot of different ways to get from point a to point b here. Glad you liked it, isn't the flavor sooo good?!

            • Anastasia

              July 10, 2024 at 7:08 pm

              If cherry gastrique is for color mainly, can I use 3 TBS of black currant jam instead? Thank you!

            • Alan Bergo

              July 10, 2024 at 7:09 pm

              Absolutely

    7. Donald Nuckel

      August 29, 2022 at 11:01 pm

      5 stars
      Bad ass dude

      Reply
    5 from 10 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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