Chocolate Cherry Layer Cake Recipes

CHERRY CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Transfer to two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and extract until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and cherry juice; beat until smooth. Stir in pecans and cherries. In another bowl, combine the frosting ingredients; beat until smooth., Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup filling. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls and a cherry if desired. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a large bowl, combine cake mix, cinnamon, yogurt, eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Transfer to prepared pans., Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. , Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1-3/4 cups whipped topping in a circle 1-1/2 in. wide around outer top edge of cake. Fill in center with 1 cup cherry pie filling. Top with remaining cake layer., Remove and discard 1/3 cup thickened cherry sauce from pie filling. Using some of the cherries, outline a star shape on top of cake; fill in center with remaining pie filling. Spread or pipe 1-3/4 cups whipped topping around the star. If desired, pipe remaining whipped topping around bottom edge of cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with olive oil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and baking powder until evenly distributed and no lumps remain. To a separate large bowl, add the 1/2 cup oil, eggs, milk, almond extract and salt and whisk until smooth, at least 30 seconds. Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the last streak of flour disappears.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and tap gently against the counter to pop excess air bubbles. Bake until a skewer or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.
• Microwave the cherry preserves in a small bowl in 30-second intervals or in a small saucepan over medium heat until looser and slightly liquidy. Spread the preserves evenly over the cooled cake.
• Make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder and salt and pour over the hot water. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, whisk until smooth. Add the heavy cream and continue whisking until billowy soft peaks form. When you turn the whisk upside-down, a peak of cream should flop over slightly like a Santa hat. Spread the frosting over the cake and, if using, garnish with the cherries. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter and flour 2 x 9" round pan.
• Combine sour cream, cocoa and water, blend well (set aside).
• Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into bowl (set aside).
• In a large bowl beat butter and sugar on medium high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Lower speed and add vanilla and almond extracts, add eggs one at a time, blend well.
• Add flour 3 times to butter mixture, alternating 2 times with milk mixture-- starting and ending with flour.
• Mix well.
• Pour batter evenly into both pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20- 25 minutes.
• Cool on racks for 20 minutes before removing pans.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• Beat whipping cream with icing sugar until stiff but not dry.
• Place one cake on platter, frost with 1 cup whipped cream to 1/2" from edge of cake, sprinkle white chocolate chips on top of whipped cream and top with the chopped and drained cherries.
• Put 2nd cake overtop of first cake and frost the top and sides with the remaining whipped cream.
• You can add chocolate curls or marashino cherries to decorate if desired.