Chocolate-Covered Cake With Cherry

Chocolate, cake, AND cherries? I mean, seriously, is there any better combination in the dessert universe? If you’re nodding your head right now while possibly drooling a little bit, then buckle up, friend—I’m about to change your life with this ridiculously delicious chocolate-covered cake with cherry. It’s the dessert equivalent of finding money in your pocket that you forgot about. Sweet, unexpected, and guaranteed to improve your day!

Why This Recipe is Awesome

Let me count the ways this cake recipe deserves a spot in your “make this immediately” file:

First off, it’s basically three desserts in one—cake, chocolate, and fruit. That’s like hitting the dessert jackpot without having to make three separate things. Efficiency at its finest!

Second, despite looking fancy enough to make your Instagram followers think you’ve been secretly taking pastry classes, it’s actually super forgiving. You could practically make this while half-watching Netflix and still nail it.

And honestly? The combination of rich chocolate, fluffy cake, and slightly tart cherries creates this perfect flavor balance that makes you look like a culinary genius. Even if the last thing you cooked was microwave ramen. No judgment here.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (the regular boring stuff, nothing fancy)
• 1½ cups granulated sugar (you know, the white crystals that make everything better)
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the good kind, not the weird chalky one from the back of your pantry)
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder (the stuff that makes things rise, unlike my motivation sometimes)
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs (from chickens, preferably)
• 1 cup buttermilk (regular milk with an attitude)
• ½ cup vegetable oil (or canola if you’re feeling fancy)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the real deal, not that imitation nonsense)
• 1 cup hot coffee (yes, coffee—trust me on this one)

For the chocolate covering:

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chunks if you’re feeling wild)
• ¾ cup heavy cream (the good stuff that makes everything better)
• 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted, but who am I kidding, salted works too)

For the cherry topping:

• 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved (or frozen if fresh isn’t available—we’re practical here)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (the magical thickening duo)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep your battlestation. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. If you forget to preheat, congratulations—you’ve already made the most common baking mistake ever!
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make it look like one of those satisfying mixing videos on social media.
3. Add the wet team. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until just combined—we’re not trying to build arm muscles here.
4. Coffee time! Slowly stir in the hot coffee. Yes, the batter will be thin. No, you haven’t messed up. This is actually supposed to happen.
5. Bake it. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (or with just a few moist crumbs). If it comes out covered in batter, your cake is basically still soup.
6. Cooling period. Let the cake cool completely. This is the hardest part because patience isn’t my strong suit either. But trust me—trying to add chocolate to a hot cake creates a mess of epic proportions.
7. Make that luscious chocolate covering. Heat the heavy cream until it’s just about to simmer (tiny bubbles around the edge). Pour it over the chocolate chips, add the butter, let it sit for 2 minutes (count them!), then stir until smooth and glossy.
8. Chocolate waterfall time! Pour the chocolate over your cooled cake, spreading it to the edges with a spatula. Feel free to lick the spatula afterward—I won’t tell anyone.
9. Cherry business. In a saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until cherries soften and release juice. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook for another 2 minutes until thickened. Let it cool slightly.
10. The grand finale. Spoon the cherry mixture over the chocolate layer. You can be artistic or just dump it on—both approaches taste equally delicious.
11. Chill out. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to let everything set. This is another test of your patience. Stay strong!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even though this recipe is pretty forgiving, there are still some ways to take a wrong turn:

• Skipping the coffee. “But I don’t like coffee!” I hear you say. The cake doesn’t end up tasting like coffee—it just makes the chocolate flavor deeper. It’s like chocolate’s secret hype man.
• Using cold eggs. Cold ingredients don’t mix as well. Leave your eggs out for 30 minutes before baking. Or if you forgot (like I always do), put them in warm water for 5 minutes.
• Overcooking the cherry topping. If you cook it too long, you’ll have cherry cement instead of a lovely sauce. Keep an eye on it!
• Being impatient with cooling times. I get it—waiting is torture. But if you put chocolate on a hot cake, it’ll just melt and run off the sides. Same with cutting into the cake too soon—you’ll have a delicious mess instead of clean slices.
• Overthinking it. This isn’t brain surgery. If something doesn’t look perfect, just call it “rustic” and move on with your life.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Let’s be real—sometimes we don’t have everything we need. Here are some swaps that won’t ruin your masterpiece:

Buttermilk alternative: No buttermilk? No problem. Mix 1 cup of regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes and—boom—fake buttermilk.

Cherry options: Not cherry season? Use frozen cherries (thaw and drain first) or even cherry pie filling in a pinch (reduce the sugar in that case). Strawberries or raspberries work great too if you want to rebel against the recipe title.

Coffee substitute: If you absolutely refuse to use coffee (though I’m giving you side-eye), hot water works. You’ll lose some depth of flavor, but your cake will still be delicious.

Chocolate varieties: Dark chocolate makes this dessert less sweet and more sophisticated. Milk chocolate makes it sweeter. White chocolate makes it a completely different dessert but still delicious. You do you.

FYI, if you’re gluten-free, a good quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works perfectly here. Just maybe don’t tell the gluten-eating people it’s gluten-free until after they’ve raved about how good it is.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely! This cake actually gets better after a day in the fridge when the flavors have had time to mingle and get to know each other. It keeps well for up to 3 days—if it lasts that long without being devoured.

Do I really need to use hot coffee?
Are you still hung up on this? Yes, hot coffee enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. It’s like magic. But if you’re caffeine-sensitive, decaf works just as well.

Can I freeze this cake?
You can freeze the basic chocolate cake layer without the toppings. After adding the chocolate and cherry, freezing gets messy. But who has the willpower to freeze cake anyway?

Is this cake too complicated for beginners?
Not at all! If you can read this recipe without falling asleep, you can make this cake. The steps are straightforward, and even if it doesn’t look perfect, it’ll still taste amazing.

What if my cherries are too tart?
Just add a bit more sugar to the cherry mixture. Taste as you go! Cooking should involve frequent “quality control” sampling, IMO.

Can I use a different pan size?
Sure thing! Two 9-inch round pans work for a layer cake version. Just watch the baking time—it might need adjusting by 5 minutes or so.

Final Thoughts

There you have it—a chocolate-covered cake with cherries that’s impressive enough for company but easy enough for a random Tuesday night when you need something sweet to get through another episode of that show you’re binge-watching.

The beauty of this recipe is that even if something goes slightly sideways, it’s still going to be chocolate, cake, and cherries. There’s basically no way to go wrong with that combination unless you accidentally use salt instead of sugar (been there, not recommended).

So go ahead—preheat that oven, gather those ingredients, and create some dessert magic. Your future self will thank you when you’re face-deep in chocolatey, cherry goodness. And remember, calories consumed while baking are just part of the quality control process. That’s just science!