Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake was inspired by a Valentine’s Day creation from Texas Co-op Power. The original calls for oil, more eggs and less sugar. It’s a delicius cake, but I wanted to make it a little richer so I changed it up a bit (making it more like Nana’s Devil’s Food) and added a chocolate ganache glaze. Here’s a new picture of the updated cake.
Here’s the old picture of the cake I linked to above. The ratios are different and it is made with oil rather than butter.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake
This is basically a dump and stir cake, though you may want to use an electric mixer just to make sure everything is thoroughly blended. Half a can of cherry pie filling is mixed in with the batter and the other half is spread in a ring in the center. The original version in the link does not include chocolate chips, but they are worth adding if you have some.
Ganache Glaze
The original Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake from the link does not have a chocolate glaze, but rather a vanilla glaze that you drizzle on while warm and let sink into the cake. The vanilla glaze adds moisture and flavor and is a must for that cake. The new improved cake is moist enough to be served with just a dusting of powdered sugar, but I added a ganache glaze anyway.
Cake Garnish
You are supposed to garnish the cake with fresh cherries, but I didn’t have any and was simultaneously making our family’s dinner while baking this cake so I left it as is. But here’s my attempt at an artsy photo! I need a shorter vase of flowers, more light and probably more commitment to photography. Will try again next time.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (270 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, natural
- 1 1/4 cups sugar (225 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 teaspoons almond extract or 1 teaspoon each vanilla & almond
- 1 can cherry pie filling (21 oz)
- 2/3 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips use more if desired
Glaze — Optional
- 2 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (56 grams)
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional), I sometimes leave it out
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan or spray with flour added cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and sugar.
- To the dry ingredients, add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and extract(s). Stir until all ingredients are moistened. Beat with a handheld mixer on medium until blended (only about a minute). By hand, stir in half of the cherry pie filling.
- Pour half of the batter into the pan. Spoon remaining pie filling in a ring around the batter and scatter chocolate chips over it. Keep filling clear of the sides of the pan. Top with remaining batter.
- Bake 50-60 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and glaze while still warm.
Ganache Glaze — Cake is already pretty moist, but if you love glaze…
- In a medium size bowl or 2 cup Pyrex measure, combine the 2 ounces of chopped chocolate with the corn syrup and butter. In a microwave over the stove, heat the cream just until it starts to boil (no longer). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate mixture and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
- Let the ganache glaze cool until thick but still pourable, about 5 minutes. Pour the ganache over the cooled cake. Let the cake stand until the glaze is set, at least 30 minutes, before serving.
Anna
Hi Timothy,
Thanks so much for the tip on the baking powder. The recipe calls for soda, and since it uses natural cocoa powder (which is acidic), I have always used the soda. I’m definitely going to try it with baking powder as you suggested.
Did you change the cocoa powder to Dutch (alkaline) so that it would react with the acidic powder?
Timothy Newkirk
I’ve made this cake and followed the original recipe except I added 1 tsp of baking powder. (I prefer a little lighter cake). This cake folded out from the pan and looked beautiful even before I glazed it. After the vanilla glaze I did let it cool completely and then drizzled melted chocolate over the top. I shared the cake with a friend who absolutely hates glaze. She LOVED this. I’ve actually done this several times now and is one of my go to cakes it I’m going somewhere that I need to bring something. There are NEVER leftovers. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
April
I am going to make this! I got a new bundt pan for Christmas and haven’t used it. I will need to buy a can of cherry pie filling first though.
I also think your artsy photo is pretty.
Kathy
Sounds good, and I think the photo is very well done. 🙂
Anna
I love that recipe! Haven’t made it in a while, but I remember mentioning it at one point and someone saying that the lady who invented the recipe for the Bake-Off lived on her street. It is funny that it’s called “bars” when it’s more of a cake. And I think it uses cake mix.
Marlene J
Don’t know if you’ve ever made the old Bake-Off winner Chocolate Cherry Bars, but it’s nice way to combine the two flavors. Not as pretty as the Bundt cake but very easy, and nice and chocolatey with the frosting. It’s called “bars,” maybe because it doesn’t rise as high because of the cherries, but I thought it seemed like a cake.
Darlene
Beautiful photograph of your cake. Bet your family enjoyed the double glaze!
Anna
Thanks Sue! I took a few more pictures today and will update. On day 2, the glaze sank into the cake more. I actually melted a couple of ounces of chocolate chips with a little coconut oil and drizzled more on top. It’s even better. The cake is very good and definitely perfect for making a day ahead.
Sue
I am thrilled to see this recipe. A good friend has a recipe with a similar flavor profile. She makes it with a boxed mix and uses a 9×13 pan. I LOVE having a scratch version and all cakes are prettier in a bundt pan!
She’s also funny in that she has a very strong opinion about the brand of cherry pie filing. She swears a particular brand has more cherries than another brand. I’ll ask her which is which before I buy.
I think your artsy photo is very pretty. Good job!