Chocolate Cherry Layered Cake
Easy chocolate cake with whipped cream and cherries in a white balsamic. Delicious and easy!
Equipment
- 2 8" round cake pans
- 2 8" parchment paper rounds
- 1 piping bag, optional
- 1 piping tip, optional
Ingredients
Balsamic Cherries:
- 2 14-ounce pkgs. frozen, whole, pitted cherries, see Notes
- 2 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
- 4 tablespoons Montmorency Cherry Rosé White Balsamic Vinegar, Abingdon Olive Oil Company
Chocolate Cake:
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup milk (2% or whole), or coffee, room temperature, see Notes
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, etc.), or 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cake batter flavoring, optional (McCormick brand)
- 1 15.25-ounce chocolate cake mix, I used and highly suggest Bob's Red Mill
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder, optional, see Notes
Sweetened Whipped Cream:
- 2 cups heavy cream, or whipping cream, COLD
- 1/4 - 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the cherries, sugar, and balsamic into a small saucepot or saucier. Bring the ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and gently boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the liquid is slightly thickened and syrupy, leaving about ½ cup of liquid in the pan.
- Strain the cherries through a sieve over a bowl, reserving all the liquid/syrup. Resist the temptation to press more liquid out of the cherries; leave them “plump” for a burst of flavor with each bite.
- Set the cherries and their syrup in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and line 2 8” round cake pans with cake release/spray/”cake goop” and line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment. Set the pans aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, add the eggs, milk, oil, and extracts. Turn the mixer to low and combine well. (Alternatively you can do this with a hand-held mixer.)
- Add the cake mix and espresso powder if using. Combine on low just until all the ingredients are well combined, scraping the bowl and paddle as needed.
- Divide the batter evenly into the greased pan. (I use a kitchen scale to measure each pan so that they are equally filled with the batter.)
- Bake in the oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the cakes are done. Check by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cakes; it should come out clean.
- Remove the cakes to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto a cooling rack and cool to room temperature. (At this point, you can wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. You may also freeze the cakes for a few hours until ready to use. That little bit of time will help keep the cakes moist. This step is optional.)
- Before assembling, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until beginning to thicken. Turn the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks.
- To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake stand. Brush the layer with some of the strained cherry-balsamic syrup. Pipe or spread half of the whipped cream on top of the cake. Scatter half of the cherries gently over the whipped cream. (I find this is easier to do by hand instead of them dropping by clumps into the whipped cream.)
- Lay the second cake gently on top of the cherries. Brush the top layer with some of the syrup. Pipe the remaining whipped cream on top. Scatter the remaining cherries over the top of the whipped cream. Optional, you can drizzle leftover syrup from the cherries onto the top of the cake and/or each serving.
- Cut and serve.
Notes
Cover tightly and refrigerate any leftovers, or freeze for up to 1 month for best results.
I highly suggest using frozen cherries. They will produce more liquid due to the ice crystals. If you use fresh, pitted cherries, you’ll need to add a bit of water, about ⅓ to ½ cup.
I used a mix of dark and sweet cherries. You can use all one variety if you would prefer. Adjust the amount of sugar desired.
I did not instruct you to use the strained liquid from the cherries to flavor the whipped cream for a couple of reasons. One, I believe it would have been too much of the balsamic flavor. The “plain” whipped cream brings balance. And two, it would tint my whipped cream pink and I did not want that.
Even though the Bob’s Red Mill chocolate cake mix does not contain the preservatives, etc. that other brands do, you are welcome to use your favorite chocolate recipe in place of the mix.
I have found that the Bob’s Red Mill brand of cake layers do not rise as high as cheaper brands. You can double this recipe and create a 4-layer cake for a dramatic dessert. However, keeping the cake to 2 layers will create a dessert more “managable” for slicing and plating.
You could add ½ cup of miniature chocolate chips to the cake batter before baking. Add them with the cake mix, after mixing the wet ingredients.
The recipe calls for (room temperature) milk. You may use room temperature coffee as a substitute. If you chose to do so, you may omit the espresso powder.
The components of this recipe can be “deconstructed” and made into individual trifles, layered in clear glasses for a fun Valentine dessert.
I am not receiving any sort of compensation for mentioning Bob’s Red Mill; it is strictly my opinion.
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Cherry Layered Cake
Amount per Serving
Calories
494.01
% Daily Value*
Fat
30.09
g
46
%
Saturated Fat
14.07
g
88
%
Trans Fat
0.6
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
3.42
g
Monounsaturated Fat
11.77
g
Cholesterol
111.07
mg
37
%
Sodium
416.72
mg
18
%
Potassium
341.23
mg
10
%
Carbohydrates
53.24
g
18
%
Fiber
2.26
g
9
%
Sugar
33.15
g
37
%
Protein
6.57
g
13
%
Vitamin C
1.72
mg
2
%
Calcium
130.98
mg
13
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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