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Chocolate Cherry Cake

June 25, 2015 by Aida 6 Comments

This three-layer, Chocolate Cherry Cake is moist, intensely chocolate cake filled with fluffy cherry, dark chocolate frosting, and drizzled with dark chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Cherry Cake|The Crafting Foodie

Last weekend when we celebrated Father’s Day, I wanted to make a dessert for my husband – the thoughtful, loving father to our two extremely creative, active, and thoroughly amazing daughters. A cake for him. Not for the kids. Not for me, but for him. That would make sense, right? It was Father’s Day after all.

So when I asked my girls what we should make, my six-year old came up with a genius idea. She said, let’s make him a Cherry Garcia Cake.

Chocolate Cherry Cake|The Crafting Foodie

If you’re not familiar with Cherry Garcia, it’s a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor. It’s named after the iconic Jerry Garcia (the lead singer for the Grateful Dead). While my husband isn’t ,and has never been, a Dead Head (that’s what you call Grateful Dead fans), he is a rabid consumer of the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor.

It’s a vanilla ice cream filled with chunks of chopped cherries and chocolate chunks. It’s my husband’s favorite. And this Chocolate Cherry Cake is our ode to his favorite ice cream flavor.

Chocolate Cherry Cake|The Crafting Foodie

I have to be honest with you. This cake isn’t for the fainthearted. The cake layers may look pretty plain, but they pack a chocolatey punch. They’re a dark, rich chocolate. And the filling – it’s full of large, juicy pieces of fresh strawberry  and chunks of chopped dark chocolate.

Chocolate Cherry Cake|The Crafting Foodie

Because chocolate sauce is one of our favorite ice cream toppings, my girls and I thought it would be a very ice-cream-like touch to top the cake with a chocolate sauce. We chose a dark chocolate ganache as the topping.

Chocolate Cherry Cake|The Crafting Foodie

Even though this Chocolate Cherry Cake is a show stopper in its own right, it definitely wasn’t the star of Father’s Day. My girls created a series of coffee filter hearts decorated in their dad’s favorite colors (blue and green), and on each heart they wrote why they love him. It was totally their idea. Working together they did everything themselves, and I know that it’ll be a gift that my husband cherishes forever.

The hearts say: To Papa. I love you papa. Here are some words we have to say to describe you. Love. Kind. Fun. Cheerful. Nice.

The hearts say: To Papa. I love you papa. Here are some words we have to say to describe you. Love. Kind. Fun. Cheerful. Nice.

 

Chocolate Cherry Cake
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 22 mins
Total time: 42 mins
Serves: 3-layer, 6-inch cake
This three-layer, Chocolate Cherry Cake is moist, intensely chocolate cake filled with fluffy cherry, dark chocolate frosting, and drizzled with dark chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
  • For the Cake:
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I’ve been using coconut oil, melted and cooled)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tbs vinegar (white or cider)
  • For the Frosting
  • 1 1/2 cups, unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • 3/4 cup pitted, fresh cherries, chopped
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa) chopped
  • For the Ganche:
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 4 ounces chopped chocolate
Instructions
For the Cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Line 3, 6-inch circular pans with parchment paper and grease.
  3. In a small measuring cup, mix the milk and vinegar. Allow it to sit and curdle.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
  5. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla.
  6. Mix the flour and milk mixture into the batter in three, alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
  7. Bake for about 22 minutes (anywhere from 22 to 27 minutes) or until the cakes spring back when lightly pushed in the center.
  8. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans on a baking rack for about 15 minutes.
  9. Turn cakes out on to cooling racks and allow to cool completely.
  10. While the cakes cool, make the frosting and ganache.
For the Frosting:
  1. In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the powdered sugar. Beat until fluffy.
  3. Add the vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
  4. Using a rubber spatula, mix the cherries and chopped chocolate.
For the Ganache:
  1. Warm the cream until scalding.
  2. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate.
  3. Cover with an air-tight lid. Allow to stand, undisturbed for 5 minutes.
  4. Stir until smooth and shiny.
To Assemble the Cake:
  1. Stack the cake, placing chocolate cherry frosting between each layer.
  2. Place frosting on the top of the cake.
  3. Chill for about 10 minutes in the fridge.
  4. Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake.
3.3.3070

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Comments

  1. AnnMarie says

    June 29, 2015 at 1:01 am

    I just love chocolate and cherry together! This looks delicious! Pinned for my next special occasion.

    Reply
  2. Catherine says

    June 29, 2015 at 11:08 am

    Dear Aida, What a fabulous cake. I love chocolate and cherries together…this sounds wonderful! xo, Catherine

    Reply
  3. allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says

    July 3, 2015 at 10:50 am

    Aida, this is such a beautiful and decadent cake. Drooling here. All it needs is a big scoop of my Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream. (On the blog last week.) 🙂 Happy 4th to you and your sweet family!

    Reply
  4. Linda@TodaySheLoves says

    July 12, 2015 at 1:29 am

    Yum, the first thing I thought was Bailey’s chocolate cherry! I’m bookmarking this for whenever I purchase some fresh cherries.

    Reply
    • Aida Arain says

      August 23, 2015 at 10:29 pm

      I hope you do give it a try Linda. It was absolutely delicious!

      Reply
  5. Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says

    September 11, 2015 at 8:45 am

    Chocolate and cherry is an awesome duo. Love how gorgeous and delicious this cake looks. Super YUMMY! Lovely Share, Aida! 🙂

    Reply

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Welcome

The Crafting Foodie is a simple, straight forward recipe and crafting journal where I share decadent desserts and healthy, easy to prepare weekday meals. Along with my concoctions in the kitchen, I also love crafting (especially knitting). The Crafting Foodie is my attempt to record all of the treats, recipes, and crafts I make for my family and friends. Read More…

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