Chocolate Cherry Cake

This post contains links to affiliate websites, such as Amazon, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you using these links. We appreciate your support!

This chocolate cherry cake is a tender and buttery bundt cake that is studded with chocolate chips and maraschino cherries. A rich chocolate ganache covers this easy cake for a beautiful presentation.

a slice of chocolate cherry cake on a plate with a whole chocolate cherry cake in the background

I love baking with maraschino cherries (see these cherry cookies from last year), and Valentine’s Day always puts me in a cherry mood. And a chocolate mood of course. But that goes for anytime, really.

This year, I took an easy, moist, tender and buttery yellow cake recipe that is so much better than any boxed cake mix and made it extra special with some maraschino cherries, chocolate chips, and a rich chocolate glaze.

whole chocolate cherry cake in a cake plate

Chocolate and cherries are such a great combo, and while I love a classic Black Forest cake as much as the next person – sometimes, simple recipes work better for a special occasion.

No layers, piping, or fancy decoration here, just the straightforward deliciousness of chocolate and cherries in every bite. This easy chocolate cherry cake recipe might just be your new favorite cake!

Ingredient Notes

For the Chocolate Cherry Cake

ingredients pictured and labelled for chocolate cherry cake

All-Purpose Flour

At it’s base, this is a classic yellow butter cake, so it’s mean to be sturdy, which is why I prefer all-purpose flour in this cake. That said, cake flour will work too, you’ll just have a more delicate crumb.

Kosher Salt

Kosher salt is my personal choice for all my cooking AND baking. As long as it isn’t too coarse, it works great in cake, cookies, and everything else. It’s also less processed than alkalized table salt, with a cleaner flavor.

Baking Powder & Baking Soda

These leavening agents are essential for a rise that’s both high and light. Ensure they’re fresh for the best results. Both are necessary, act differently, and are not interchangeable.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk adds moisture and a slight tang, contributing to the tender crumb of this cherry chocolate cake.

No buttermilk? No problem. Add 3/4 of a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill it up to the 3/4 cup mark with regular milk to make the required 3/4 cup of buttermilk.

Maraschino Cherry Syrup

To add an extra boost of cherry flavor, save the cherry syrup from the jar of maraschino cherries and add a little to the batter.

Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla extract is a must in all my cakes. Almond extract can be added in addition to or instead of vanilla, and it complements the cherry flavor well, but use sparingly as it’s stronger than vanilla extract.

Unsalted Butter

Use room temperature butter to ensure it creams smoothly with sugar. If you only have salted butter, omit the additional salt from the recipe.

If you’d like to use oil instead of butter, you can substitute 1 cup of canola, vegetable, or olive oil for the 1 and 1/8 cups of butter. Coconut oil can be added in the same quantity as butter.

Sugar

Granulated or superfine sugar cream wells with butter, contributing to the chocolate cherry cake’s light texture.

Eggs

Use room temperature large eggs for the best incorporation into the batter. Whole eggs are the classic choice for a yellow cake and will make it rich, moist, and tender.

Red Food Coloring

Just a couple of drops of red gel food coloring will give you a pretty pink hue. This is completely optional. Without it your cake will be light yellow instead of pink.

Maraschino Cherries

You can use fresh cherries or another variety of preserved cherries if maraschino cherries aren’t your style. Just ensure they’re well-drained.

Dark Chocolate Chips

Dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips complement the flavor of the sweet cherries and also add the perfect, rich chocolatey pockets.

For the Chocolate Glaze

ingredients to make chocolate glaze

Heavy Cream

Heavy cream makes a rich chocolate glaze, but for a lighter version, half-and-half can be used instead.

Light Corn Syrup

Just a little bit gives the glaze a smooth, glossy finish. You can omit it, or substitute with regular corn syrup, honey, or maple syrup.

Dark Chocolate

Choose a good quality for a rich chocolate flavor. A chocolate with 50-70% cocoa content balances sweetness and bitterness beautifully.

Don’t forget to watch the video!

Most of my recipes include a short step-by-step video tutorial. Just scroll down to the recipe card, or use the “Jump to Video” button at the top of the post!

Step by Step Instructions

For the Chocolate Cherry Cake Batter

  1. Heat your oven to 350°F. Use butter or non stick spray to grease a 12-cup non-stick bundt pan, then dust it with flour.
  1. In a medium-sized bowl, make the flour mixture by whisking together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
flour mixture in a bowl
  1. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, mix the buttermilk, cherry juice, and vanilla extract together well.
buttermilk mixture in a measuring cup
  1. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar at a medium-high speed until they’re fluffy and light, which should take about 4-5 minutes. You can also use an electric mixer and a large mixing bowl to do this.
butter and sugar creamed together in a bowl
  1. Add the eggs and extra yolk, mixing until fully blended and scraping the bowl’s sides as necessary.
egg and egg yolk added to the butter and sugar
egg, butter, and sugar creamed together in a bowl
  1. Add a third of the flour mixture into the mixing bowl, mixing at a low speed until it’s just incorporated. Pour in half of the buttermilk mix and keep mixing. Keep alternating the addition of flour mix and buttermilk blend until everything is mixed in well.
flour mixture added to the wet batter
  1. Add a few drops of red food coloring, and mix in the chopped cherries and chocolate chips until they’re evenly spread throughout the batter.
red food color added to the cake batter
chopped cherries and chocolate chips added to the cake batter
chocolate cherry cake batter in a bowl
  1. Pour batter into your prepared bundt pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Tap the pan on your countertop a few times to ensure the batter fills all the details of the pan.
chocolate cherry cake batter in a bundt pan
  1. Bake in the heated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before inverting the chocolate cherry cake onto the rack to cool completely, which should take about an hour.
baked chocolate cherry cake in a bundt pan

For the Chocolate Glaze

  1. Heat up the heavy cream, corn syrup, and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate melts completely and the mixture is smooth.
heavy cream and chopped chocolate in a small saucepan
  1. Take it off the heat and mix in the vanilla. Allow it to cool to room temperature until it thickens slightly, which should take around 20 minutes.
chocolate glaze in a saucepan
  1. Drizzle the chocolate glaze gently on top of the cake, letting it cascade down the sides.
pouring chocolate glaze over the chocolate cherry cake
closeup of chocolate glaze being poured over the chocolate cherry cake

Tips to Make the Best Chocolate Cherry Cake

a slice of chocolate cherry cake on a plate with a whole chocolate cherry cake in the background
  • The flavor of your chocolate cherry cake hinges on the ingredients. Opt for high-quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa content for a rich chocolate flavor. Similarly, select good-quality maraschino cherries for the cake batter.
  • Make sure your butter, eggs, and buttermilk are at room temperature before you start. This helps the batter mix more uniformly, resulting in a cake with a better rise and a more tender crumb.
  • If you want a moist chocolate cherry cake, mix your cake batter just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a dense, tough cake.
  • Fresh baking powder and baking soda are crucial for a good rise. If they’re old and inactive, your chocolate cherry cake will not rise properly.
  • Bundt pans can be tricky with their intricate designs. Butter and flour your pan thoroughly to ensure your chocolate cherry cake releases perfectly.
  • Whether you’re using maraschino cherries or fresh cherries, chop them coarsely to distribute the cherry flavor evenly throughout the chocolate cherry cake and prevent the pieces from sinking to the bottom during baking.
  • Allow the chocolate glaze to cool to the right consistency before pouring it over the cooled cake. It should be fluid but thick enough to slowly drip down the sides. If it’s too hot or too thin, it will run right off the cake.
glazed chocolate cherry cake on a cake platter

Storage Instructions

If you plan to consume the cake within a couple of days, it can be stored at room temperature. Cover it with a cake dome or an inverted bowl to protect it from dust and to prevent the glaze from drying out.

If storing in the refrigerator, place it in an airtight container or cover it well with plastic wrap to prevent it from absorbing any fridge odors and drying out.

Here are a few other easy recipes to make your Valentine’s Day a little sweeter!

Chocolate Raspberry Mug Cake

Easy Chocolate Mousse

Chewy Cherry Cookies

Sweet and Salty Chocolate Bark

Chocolate Tart (Try a heart pattern instead of herringbone!)

Tell me what you think!

If you try this recipe, l’d be so grateful if you’d leave a comment and a rating in the recipe card. I love to hear your feedback, and your tips can help other readers too!

a slice of chocolate cherry cake on a plate with a whole chocolate cherry cake in the background

Chocolate Cherry Cake

This chocolate cherry cake is a tender and buttery bundt cake that is studded with chocolate chips and maraschino cherries. A rich chocolate ganache covers this easy cake for a beautiful presentation.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Save
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 509kcal
Author: Ann Otis

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry syrup
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/8 cups unsalted butter (2 1/4 sticks) at room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs, plus one egg yolk at room temperature
  • 2-3 drops red gel food coloring (optional)
  • 1 cup roughly chopped maraschino cherries
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips

For the chocolate glaze

  • 1/2 cup plus one tablespoon heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 6 oz dark chocolate chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12-cup non-stick bundt pan.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. 
  • In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, cherry syrup and vanilla extract.
  • In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add eggs and yolk and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • To the butter and sugar mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Add 1/2 the buttermilk mixture and continue to mix. Continue to alternate flour and buttermilk until just combined. Remove from the mixer and give the batter a good stir by hand. Add a couple drops of red food coloring (optional) for a pink color. Stir in the cherries and chocolate chips to distribute evenly. 
  • Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan and even out the top with a rubber spatula. Rap the pan on the counter a few times to make sure it gets into all the nooks and crannies of the pan. 
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place the pan on a cooling rack and cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Turn the cake out onto the cooling rack and cool completely.
  • Make the glaze: In a small saucepan, heat the cream, corn syrup, and chocolate, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Let cool at room temperature until slightly thickened, 20 minutes or so.
  • Slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to dribble down the sides.

Video

Notes

Storage Instructions
If you plan to consume the cake within a couple of days, it can be stored at room temperature. Cover it with a cake dome or an inverted bowl to protect it from dust and to prevent the glaze from drying out.
If storing in the refrigerator, place it in an airtight container or cover it well with plastic wrap to prevent it from absorbing any fridge odors and drying out.

Nutrition

Calories: 509kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 225mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 583IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @OurHappyMess or tag #OurHappyMess!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.