Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
To make the batter, in a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Add in the vanilla extract and milk, stirring until well combined and smooth.Set aside.
In a 9x13 baking dish, combine the cherries and melted butter until the cherries are evenly coated.
Pour the batter over the cherries evenly and bake for 55-60 minutes.
Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.