I just served a Chocolate Cherry Cake With Ganache and I’m not sure anything else on my dessert shelf can compete.

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I’m obsessed with a dense, slightly bitter chocolate cake studded with real cherries. I love the way unsweetened cocoa powder makes it deep but not sickly sweet.

And the idea of a Chocolate Cherry Cake With Ganache sliding over the top makes me weak. I keep imagining forks sinking into layers where I actually taste fruit, not just syrup, like a proper Chocolate Cake With Cherries In It.

I don’t care if it’s messy, I want the ganache to drip and the cherries to pop. It’s the kind of dessert I want every time I need something honest and loud.

Ingredients

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Flour gives structure so the cake actually holds together, nicely.
Unsweetened cocoa adds deep chocolatey punch and slight bitterness.
Granulated sugar sweetens and helps the crumb brown.
Baking powder lifts the cake, makes it light and springy.
Baking soda helps rise and balances the cocoa’s acidity.
Fine salt wakes up flavors and tames excessive sweetness.
Eggs bind everything and add a bit of richness.
Buttermilk adds tang and keeps the crumb tender.
Vegetable oil keeps the cake moist, not cakey dry.
Hot coffee deepens chocolate notes, makes it more intense.
Vanilla gives warmth and a soft rounded aroma.
Fresh cherries bring tart bursts and juicy texture.
Extra sugar for cherries sweetens and helps them macerate.
Kirsch or juice adds a boozy cherry kick, if you want.
Dark chocolate makes glossy ganache and rich, bitter frosting.
Cold heavy cream makes silky ganache or light whipped cream.
Butter adds plush richness to frosting or the batter.
Powdered sugar sweetens frosting; makes it smooth and pipeable.
Chocolate shavings add crunchy, pretty garnish and extra chocolate.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour

3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature

1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil

1 cup (240 ml) hot strong coffee or hot water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups pitted cherries, fresh or drained if jarred (about 300 g)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar for cherries plus 1-2 tablespoons kirsch or cherry juice if you want

8 ounces (225 g) dark chocolate, chopped (for ganache or frosting)

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold (for ganache or whipped cream)

4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter, room temperature (for frosting or to enrich batter)

1 to 1 1/2 cups (120-180 g) powdered sugar, sifted (for whipped frosting)

Optional: 1/2 cup chocolate shavings or chips for garnish

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease and line two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with parchment and dust lightly with cocoa powder so the cake wont stick.

2. Toss cherries with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon kirsch or cherry juice if using; set aside to macerate while you make the batter so they get juicier.

3. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl: 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt.

4. In another bowl beat 2 large eggs with 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 tsp vanilla and 4 tablespoons room temperature butter until smooth; the butter will give the cake extra richness, yes it seems odd with oil but it works.

5. Pour the wet into the dry and fold just until combined, dont overmix, it should be a thick batter. Stir in 1 cup hot strong coffee or hot water slowly; the batter will loosen and the coffee sharpens the chocolate flavor.

6. Gently fold in the macerated cherries, leaving any syrup behind if it’s super wet; divide batter between pans and smooth tops. Tap pans on the counter to release big air bubbles.

7. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; ovens vary. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes before turning out to a rack to cool completely.

8. For chocolate ganache: chop 8 ounces dark chocolate and place in a bowl. Heat 1 cup cold heavy cream until just simmering, pour over chocolate and let sit 1 minute then whisk until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter for shine if you like. Cool until spreadable.

9. If you prefer whipped frosting instead: beat 1 cup cold heavy cream with 1 to 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons softened butter until soft peaks form. Chill briefly to firm up, but dont overbeat or it will break.

10. Assemble: level cakes if needed, place one layer on a plate, spread some ganache or whipped frosting, scatter a few reserved cherries, top with second layer and finish coating with remaining ganache or whipped frosting. Garnish with chocolate shavings or chips. Chill a bit to set, then serve at room temperature and enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350F / 175C)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, plus parchment paper to line them
3. Large and medium mixing bowls
4. Whisk and rubber spatula (for folding and smoothing)
5. Electric mixer or hand whisk (for eggs and whipped cream)
6. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale if you have one
7. Sifter or fine mesh sieve (for cocoa and powdered sugar)
8. Cooling rack
9. Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl (to heat cream for ganache)

FAQ

Q: Can I use frozen cherries instead of fresh, and do I need to thaw them first?

A: Yes, frozen cherries work fine. Thaw them and drain well so they dont add too much liquid. Pat them dry with paper towels and toss with a little flour so they dont all sink to the bottom.

Q: What can I use instead of buttermilk?

A: Make a quick buttermilk by stirring 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk, let sit 5 minutes. You can also use plain yogurt thinned with a bit of milk. It keeps the cake tender and gives lift.

Q: How do I get a really glossy chocolate ganache?

A: Heat the cream until steaming not boiling, pour over chopped dark chocolate, let sit 2 minutes then stir gently from center out. Add the butter last for shine. Cool slightly before pouring so it doesnt run off the cake.

Q: My cake turned out dry, what went wrong and how can I fix it next time?

A: Dry cake is usually from overbaking or too much flour. Use the toothpick test and start checking 5 minutes before time. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling, dont pack it. Adding a bit more oil or sour cream next time helps keep it moist.

Q: Can I make this cake ahead and how should I store it?

A: Yes. Bake layers and wrap tightly, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. If frosted with ganache keep it in the fridge; bring to room temp 30 minutes before serving for best flavor.

Q: Any tips to stop cherries from sinking and to get even distribution?

A: Toss cherries in about 1 tablespoon flour or powdered sugar before folding into batter. Spoon batter into pan then gently press cherries into the top if needed. That helps them stay put and not all fall to the bottom.

Cherry Chocolate Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: use cake flour for a lighter crumb (replace 1 cup all purpose with 1 cup cake flour plus 2 tbsp flour removed per cup), or try whole wheat pastry flour for nuttier flavor (1:1 but expect denser cake), or gluten free 1-to-1 blend if you need GF (same volume).
Unsweetened cocoa powder: swap in Dutch process cocoa for a deeper, less acidic chocolate taste (may slightly change rise), or use natural cocoa if recipe calls for more tang, or melt 2 oz dark chocolate and cut 2 tbsp of dry cocoa from the recipe if you want richer body.
Buttermilk: make a quick substitute with 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar, let sit 5 minutes; or use plain yogurt thinned with a little milk (about 3/4 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup milk), or use kefir cup for tangy flavor.
Heavy cream (for ganache/whipped cream): use full fat coconut milk or cream (chill can and scoop firm cream), or swap for half-and-half plus a tablespoon of butter per cup for a lighter ganache, or use mascarpone mixed with a little milk for a richer, spreadable frosting.

Pro Tips

1) Let everything get to room temp. Eggs, buttermilk and butter mix together way better if theyre not cold, otherwise youll get lumps or a dense crumb. Take them out 30 to 60 minutes before you start.

2) Don’t add all the cherry syrup to the batter. Macerate the cherries, then drain most of the extra liquid so you dont thin the batter too much or make soggy pockets. If you want extra flavor, stir 1 tablespoon of the syrup into the frosting or brush it on the cake layers.

3) Pour the hot coffee in slowly and stop when the batter becomes pourable but not watery. The heat brings out chocolate flavor, but too much liquid makes the structure fail. If it looks too loose after the coffee, chill the batter 10 minutes in the fridge to let the flour absorb it before baking.

4) For ganache and assembly: heat the cream just to a simmer, let it sit on the chopped chocolate for a full minute before whisking so it gets glossy. Cool the ganache until it’s spreadable but still soft, and chill the stacked, frosted cake 20 to 30 minutes before slicing so cuts are cleaner. If you prefer whipped frosting, never overbeat or it’ll separate.

Cherry Chocolate Cake Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I just served a Chocolate Cherry Cake With Ganache and I'm not sure anything else on my dessert shelf can compete.

Servings

servings

Calories

572

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350F / 175C)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, plus parchment paper to line them
3. Large and medium mixing bowls
4. Whisk and rubber spatula (for folding and smoothing)
5. Electric mixer or hand whisk (for eggs and whipped cream)
6. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale if you have one
7. Sifter or fine mesh sieve (for cocoa and powdered sugar)
8. Cooling rack
9. Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl (to heat cream for ganache)

Ingredients

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (240 ml) hot strong coffee or hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups pitted cherries, fresh or drained if jarred (about 300 g)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar for cherries plus 1-2 tablespoons kirsch or cherry juice if you want
8 ounces (225 g) dark chocolate, chopped (for ganache or frosting)
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold (for ganache or whipped cream)
4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter, room temperature (for frosting or to enrich batter)
1 to 1 1/2 cups (120-180 g) powdered sugar, sifted (for whipped frosting)
Optional: 1/2 cup chocolate shavings or chips for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease and line two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with parchment and dust lightly with cocoa powder so the cake wont stick.
Toss cherries with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon kirsch or cherry juice if using; set aside to macerate while you make the batter so they get juicier.
Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl: 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt.
In another bowl beat 2 large eggs with 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 tsp vanilla and 4 tablespoons room temperature butter until smooth; the butter will give the cake extra richness, yes it seems odd with oil but it works.
Pour the wet into the dry and fold just until combined, dont overmix, it should be a thick batter. Stir in 1 cup hot strong coffee or hot water slowly; the batter will loosen and the coffee sharpens the chocolate flavor.
Gently fold in the macerated cherries, leaving any syrup behind if it's super wet; divide batter between pans and smooth tops. Tap pans on the counter to release big air bubbles.
Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; ovens vary. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes before turning out to a rack to cool completely.
For chocolate ganache: chop 8 ounces dark chocolate and place in a bowl. Heat 1 cup cold heavy cream until just simmering, pour over chocolate and let sit 1 minute then whisk until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter for shine if you like. Cool until spreadable.
If you prefer whipped frosting instead: beat 1 cup cold heavy cream with 1 to 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons softened butter until soft peaks form. Chill briefly to firm up, but dont overbeat or it will break.
Assemble: level cakes if needed, place one layer on a plate, spread some ganache or whipped frosting, scatter a few reserved cherries, top with second layer and finish coating with remaining ganache or whipped frosting. Garnish with chocolate shavings or chips. Chill a bit to set, then serve at room temperature and enjoy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.