Ultimate Chocolate Cherry Cake
A decadent chocolate cake filled with juicy cherries and deep cocoa flavor. Perfect for celebrations or anytime you want something extra indulgent.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar, rest 5 min)
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee (or hot water for a milder flavor)
Cherry Layer
1 ½ cups fresh, frozen, or jarred cherries (pitted)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice
Chocolate Ganache (optional but AMAZING)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the cherry filling
- In a small saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- Set aside to cool completely.
- Prepare the cake batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Pour in the hot coffee and stir gently — batter will be thin (this is what makes it moist!).
- Bake
- Divide the batter between the pans.
- Bake 28–34 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool completely.
- Make the ganache
- Heat the cream until steaming (not boiling).
- Pour over chocolate chips and let sit 3 minutes.
- Stir until smooth and glossy.
- Assemble the cake
- Place the first cake layer on a plate.
- Spread the cherry filling over the top.
- Add the second cake layer.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake, letting it drip beautifully down the sides.
Optional Enhancements
Add chocolate chips to the batter
Add almond extract to the cherry filling
Decorate with fresh cherries and chocolate curls
Make it a Black Forest–style cake by adding whipped cream