Description
This Easy Chocolate Cherry Chip Cake is a moist and flavorful dessert featuring a tender cake studded with maraschino cherries and finished with a luscious cherry buttercream and rich chocolate ganache. Perfect for any occasion, this cake combines fruity sweetness with decadent chocolate in a beautifully simple recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup cherry juice
- 2 large egg whites
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- â…“ cup maraschino cherries, chopped
- ½ tbsp flour (for coating cherries)
Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 tsp heavy cream
- ¼ cup cherry juice
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chopped chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8-inch cake pan to prevent sticking.
- Sift dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure even mixing and a light texture.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together cherry juice, egg whites, and buttermilk until combined smoothly.
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat the unsalted butter and sugar together until fluffy and light; then add vegetable oil and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Combine mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients and the wet cherry mixture alternately to the creamed butter mixture, mixing gently to maintain airiness.
- Add cherries: Toss the chopped maraschino cherries with ½ tablespoon flour to prevent sinking, then fold them carefully into the batter.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- Make the buttercream frosting: Beat the ½ cup butter until creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar and cherry juice along with the heavy cream. Whip the mixture until fluffy and smooth.
- Prepare the ganache: Heat the heavy cream until hot (but not boiling), pour it over the chopped chocolate, and stir until melted and smooth.
- Assemble the cake: Frost the cooled cake evenly with cherry buttercream, drizzle the chocolate ganache over the top, and decorate with additional cherries if desired.
- Storage tips: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; refrigerate for up to 5 days and bring to room temperature before serving. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months, thawing in the refrigerator overnight before consumption.
Notes
- Coating the cherries with flour helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
- Make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting to avoid melting the buttercream.
- Use high-quality chocolate and fresh heavy cream for the best ganache texture and flavor.
- This cake can be stored at room temperature short-term or frozen for longer storage.
- To enhance cherry flavor, consider adding a teaspoon of cherry extract to the batter or frosting.
