Decadent chocolate ganache and a moist cherry cake combine to make this beautiful Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake just in time for Valentine’s Day.  So easy to mix together and make to please your kids, class parties or the adults at your special romantic dinner for two.

This recipe is really three in one, you can make this whole recipe from scratch or start with a basic cake mix if you are short on time. If you use a store bought cake mix, just be sure to add some cherry juice to the mixture to add that same flavor in.

Homemade Cake Mix

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Set the dry ingredients aside.

Next in a separate bowl, cream together sugar, eggs and butter until smooth. Add in cherry juice for that pop of flavor, that’s what really makes this recipe.

Mix in cream and vanilla into your egg mixture as well. You can add a few drops of food coloring to get the color. Add your flour blend into wet ingredients gradually.

Lastly fold in cherries and chocolate chips. Divide your batter into two equal baking dishes. I used square but round pans would be great as well or even a heart shaped pan to make the cake more festive.

Bake your cakes at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden on top and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool. Allow your cake to cool completely before icing and assembling.

Cherry Buttercream Icing

The icing is really easy to make. Just cream the butter and sugar together in medium bowl. Add in cherry juice, milk and food coloring (if desired) and blend until smooth. Set aside until time to ice cake.

Chocolate Ganache

To make your chocolate ganache you will sift together cocoa powder and sugar. Start melting your butter in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan. When melted, add in your sugar mixture. Add in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Mix in chocolate chips and stir constantly until melted. Remove your ganache from the heat and set aside for drizzling over cake.

Assembling Your Cake

Once cake has cooled completely, spread icing over top of one layer. Place second layer on top and ice as you would any cake. Drizzle the top lightly with chocolate ganache. Serve each piece with extra chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Covered
Cherry Cake Recipe

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake Recipe

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Rich cherry flavored cake with a delicious frosting and to die for chocolate ganache sauce that pulls it all together.

Ingredients

Homemade Cherry Cake

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• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 3 Eggs Beaten
• ½ Cup Unsalted Butter Softened
• ¼ Cup Maraschino Cherry Juice
• 2 Drops Red Food Coloring
• ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ½ Cup Maraschino Cherries Chopped
• ½ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Cherry Buttercream Icing

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• 1 Cup Unsalted Butter Softened
• 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Maraschino Cherry Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Milk
• 1 Drop Red Food Coloring

Chocolate Ganache

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• ¼ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
• ½ Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 ¼ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions

Preparing the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8x8 baking dishes with non-stick spray.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl.
3. Cream together sugar, eggs and butter until smooth.
4. Mix in cherry juice, food coloring, cream and vanilla into egg mixture.
5. Mix flour blend into wet ingredients gradually.
6. Lastly fold in cherries and chocolate chips.
7. Divide batter into two baking dishes (we used square but round pans would be great as well).
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden on top and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and cool. (Allow to cool completely before icing and assembling.)

Cherry Buttercream Icing

1. Cream the butter and sugar together in medium bowl.
2. Mix in cherry juice, milk and food coloring and blend until smooth.
3. Set aside until time to ice cake.

Chocolate Ganache

1. Sift together cocoa powder and sugar.
2. In medium heavy bottomed saucepan melt butter, mixing with sugar mixture.
3. Add in heavy cream and bring to a simmer.
4. Mix in chocolate chips and stir constantly until melted.
5. Remove from heat and set aside for drizzling over cake.

Putting your cake together

1. Once cake has cooled completely, spread icing over top of one layer.
2. Place second layer on top and ice as you would any cake.
3. Drizzle the top lightly with chocolate ganache.
4. Serve each piece with extra chocolate sauce.

Head over next to see our amazing Apple Pie Cake recipe!

What’s your favorite kind of cake?