Unexpected guests? Need something quick and easy to celebrate a special occasion? Our Cherry-Chocolate Cake With Fudge Frosting will save the day!
Last August, when my daughter called to say she was stopping by to introduce us to her new boyfriend, I was thrilled, but I must admit she took me a little by surprise. I remember looking at the clock and seeing it was already late in the afternoon. Of course, I wanted to make a special sweet treat to mark the occasion, but how was I supposed to come up with something on such short notice? Thankfully, my well-stocked pantry came to the rescue yet again.
You see, it’s not just legumes, grains, and condiments I keep in bulk, but also baking goods like cake mixes, boxes of instant pudding, extracts, canned pie filling, dried fruits, flours, and all kinds of edible decorations. After a quick glance, the cherry pie filling jumped out at me, almost seeming to say, “Pick me, pick me!” And since chocolate and cherries are a match made in gourmet heaven, I also grabbed a box of devil’s food cake mix and a bag of chocolate morsels. All it took was a few kitchen staples, such as eggs and butter, to make this decadent and super easy cherry-chocolate cake. Moist and rich, its crowning glory is a silky layer of fudge frosting that seems to melt into the cake’s tender crumb, making it even more irresistible.
Needless to say, I made a very good impression when I presented this dark and handsome delight along with a chilled bottle of bubbles (I keep a few of those in the fridge, too). So now you know. Stock that pantry—and keep this recipe in mind the next time you need to shine!
Repurposing leftover cake
Okay, I can’t say I had leftovers when I served this cake, but in case you do and you’d like something a little different, here are some ideas to repurpose it:
- Chop it into small pieces and layer it in pretty glasses with whipped cream, jarred cherries, chocolate ice cream, and shavings of dark chocolate.
- Crumble the cake, mix with softened cream cheese or chocolate frosting, and roll the mixture into balls to make cake pops. Dip the cake pops in melted chocolate and decorate with chocolate sprinkles.
- Cake crumbs can also be sprinkled over ice cream, vanilla pudding, and even chocolate mousse.
How do I store leftovers?
Leftover cake should be covered tightly with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bear in mind that storing it in the fridge will render its crumb a bit dense. For longer storage, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
This rich cake makes a gorgeous dessert when served slightly warm with either a scoop of Salted Caramel Ice Cream or, even better, our fruity Cherry Ice Cream.
Looking for more easy recipes to make with those life-saving boxes of cake mix? Whip up a batch of our Cake Mix Brownies. Talk about earning brownie points!
Easy Cherry-Chocolate Cake With Fudge Frosting
Ingredients
For The Cake:
- 1 package devil's food cake mix (15.25 ounces)
- 1 can cherry pie filling (21 ounces)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For The Frosting:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
Instructions
To Make The Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×13-inch rectangular pan with cooking spray or line with baking paper, letting a little hang over the sides for easy removal.
- Beat devil's food cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs, and almond extract at low speed with electric mixer for 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 27 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
To Frost The Cake:
- Make frosting by bringing sugar, milk, and butter to a boil in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in chocolate morsels until melted and smooth.
- Quickly spread frosting over warm cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour, before slicing and serving.
Cherries and chocolate are a marriage made in heaven. And this looks so juicy and moist! The only change I’m going to make to this is to add a few Maraschino cherries on top. Thanks for another winner!!