Description
A moist, boozy chocolate cake layered with sweet cherries and whipped cream, designed for easy assembly and make-ahead convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (15.25 oz) dark chocolate or devil’s food cake mix
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 cans (20 oz each) sweet cherries in heavy syrup, drained
- ½ cup Kirsch or dark rum
- 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream, cold
- ¼ cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate shavings
- Optional: Maraschino cherries for garnish
- Eggs, oil, and water (as required by cake mix package)
- Coffee (to deepen chocolate flavor, as required by cake mix package)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray and dust with cocoa powder.
- In a large bowl, combine chocolate cake mix, instant pudding mix, eggs, oil, water, and coffee. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth.
- Stir in the drained cherries and ¼ cup of the Kirsch or rum.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a chilled bowl, whip heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread half the whipped cream over the top.
- Scatter half of the remaining cherries over the cream.
- Place the second cake layer on top. Spread the rest of the cream over the top and sides.
- Decorate with chocolate shavings and optional maraschino cherries.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Drain cherries well and pat dry to prevent soggy cake. Chill the mixing bowl and beaters for 15 minutes before whipping cream for best results. Use coffee in the batter to enhance chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee. The cake tastes better the next day as flavors meld. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute Kirsch with cherry juice or almond extract.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 32
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: Black Forest Cake, Cherry Cake, Oktoberfest Dessert, Chocolate Cake, Make-Ahead Dessert, Easy Baking