Summer Cherry Cake (Leto Višnja Torta)

My maternal grandmother made this cake for us as kids for our birthdays. She adjusted the recipe from what she knew as a girl in Bović. Grandma loved to cook and recreate recipes she knew as a young lady in Serbia. I had this cake in a poslastičarnica (pastry shop) in Belgrade near Tašmajdan Park. It was full of cherries, I recall they also had ones with apricots and red and black raspberry as well. It is a simple dessert and delicious on a hot summer's day.


1 large can cherry pie filling
14-15 teaspoons of sugar,
2-3 boxes of shortbread cookies or vanilla wafers, coarsely ground in food processor
1 large container plain yogurt
Cool Whip or equivalent topping

slivered almonds

chocolate shavings or shredded coconut (optional)

In a large plastic bowl, pour the cherries, do not drain them.
Sprinkle cherries with sugar and ground cookies then pour in the container of yogurt.
Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are blended then pour into a glass 9x13 dish
Put cake in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours to chill.
Before serving, top with the whipped topping and decorate the cake with the almonds.

Note: You can use different types of fruit canned pie fillings instead of cherries, blueberries are nice. Also, for decoration you can use chocolate shavings or shredded coconut, plain or toasted. Toasted coconut was a nice blend with the almonds.