The infrared cluster CBJC 8 is associated with a 6.7GHz methanol maser and a compact radio-continuum source, G85.40-0.00. It is located at a distance of about 8kpc. The aim is to study the characteristics of this distant and compact embedded cluster and derive the properties of its stellar population. We present new ground-based near- and mid-imaging observations of this region. The calibrated images were analysed together with archive Spitzer IRAC images. Based on the discovery of a considerable fraction of embedded sources with infrared excess emission that are concentrated within a radius around 16arcsec centred near the position of the compact HII region G85.40-0.00, we were able to confirm the presence of a very young embedded cluster. It was found to contain more than 58 members brighter than M_K_=2.6, with two-thirds of them showing significant near- or mid-IR excess emission. Spectral energy distributions and extrapolated total luminosities are presented for nine sources with large mid-infrared excesses that were measured in all four IRAC bands. For the brightest of these, G8540A, which is associated with a methanol maser and a compact HII region, we fitted a model of an infalling envelope plus disc plus central star to its observed 1.6 to 850um fluxes to get an idea of its physical properties. We also report the presence of a single 2.12um molecular hydrogen line emission knot near the centre of the cluster, suggesting the outflow activity.