Hi friends– Last weekend was a cake-o-rama around here. My sis and I made cakes for a big family baby shower– anticipating baby Wyatt’s coming to the big wide world soon! And our dear younger friends Travis & Bekah were married in this most hopeful happy wedding– simply beautiful. More cake baking!
So here’s my favorite of the bunch. Fresh cherries in the cake and in the frosting– with rich ganache and cherries on top!
CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE
Cake:
1 dark chocolate cake mix
water
canola oil
3 eggs
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted & chopped
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
6 oz. butter (1 1/3 stick)
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. amaretto (or vanilla)
2/3 cup cherries, pitted & chopped very fine
Ganache:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tab. butter
1 cup chocolate chips
Garnish:
stemmed fresh cherries
Make the cake according to the directions on the box–mine used 1 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup oil and 3 eggs. Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Then fold in the cherries and chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into 3 –9″ cake pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake them up at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes–until they are firm to the touch. Let them cool completely before adding the frosting!
To make the chocolate ganache, bring the cream and 2 tab. butter to a low simmer in a pan on the stove top. Take it off the heat and beat in the chocolate chips for 2 or 3 minutes until they are melted and the ganache is glossy. Let this cool completely before your pour it over the frosting (so you won’t melt the frosting!!)
With an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and amaretto (start on the lowest setting so you won’t have powdered sugar flying out of the mixing bowl!). When that is blended, stir in the cherries with a wooden spoon until they are thoroughly mixed in and the frosting is colored a light pink from the cherries.
Frost the 3 layers of the cooled cake, stacking as you go. When the ganache is thoroughly cooled drizzle it over the cake letting little streams pour down the sides. Top with a mound of fresh cherries– Done! and so pretty!
The Thankful Heart 
It looks delicious Rhonda. I hope life is going better for you. X
Thanks dear Brigid! This is going to be a long process– but trusting in God’s love and presence with us– and trying to live our normal lives. thanks for your good wishes friend. xoxo
That cake looks fantastic Rhonda. Oh my do I love chocolate and cherries. Black Forest is one of my favorite cakes but this one with that cherry buttercream and ganache is so decadent and sounds so delicious. It’s also so beautiful, bookmarked this one. Hope you are all doing well and that things are better for you.
Hi Rhonda, this looks delicious!!! So happy you’re doing a shower.
I read Brigid’s comment and your response. Looks like I missed something. Are you ok? Loving to you, dear Rhonda. ❤ Hugs. Debbie
Oh My that looks sooo good. Thanks for sharing.
The cake looks amazing, Rhonda, and I’m sure it tastes even better than it looks! I absolutely love chocolate with cherries (or strawberries, or raspberries, or marshmallows,…) I just like chocolate! Glad to hear you are taking one day at a time and enjoying the gift of “today”. praying for you, my friend! Xoxo
Thank you dear Dasiy– I’m with you on the chocolate! xo
Looks Gorgeous Rhonda. Love the colours (:
Thanks Nick! Loved your instruction dark photo post. You pictures are always stunning!
Thank you! (:
Oh I love the name Wyatt. I even think if we ever have another kiddo and it’s a boy, I’d like to name him Wyatt. That’s how much I love it.
And Rhonda, this cake is AMAZING. Maybe the most beautiful one you’ve ever posted.
Thanks Lacey– we are waiting to meet little Wyatt– due in September. Your’e suc a great mom- you should have another kiddo!! xo
I would love to. I need to get the husband on board!
September will be here before we know it too.
I have nominated you for The One Lovely Blog award, Please Follow the link:https://spiceinthebox.wordpress.com/2017/07/28/awards/
Thank you.
So much going on and the cakes! Wow. This one is a stunner – this post was especially fun because I started readingand the first pic shows a chocolate cake…but then I scrolled down to the next pic and all was revealed! It truly looks and sounds amazing and I love that you snuck in the faintest touch of amaretto!
Hey Mollie– this cake really showed up because of overbuying so many cherries! Looked on my pinterest board for a way to use them!! Glad you like it! Always fun to hear from you!! xox
🙂
Beautiful colours! Cake looks so delicious! Hope every thing is ok with you.
HI Sumith! thank you. We’ve hit some difficult circumstances, cut are trusting God to see us through the next weeks & months… Loved your scampi post Sumith– so beautiful and it looks delish!
Thank you Rhonda. Hope every thing will be ok for your side. God bless!!
What a fabulous pretty decorated hugre cake! yum yum yum!
Thanks Sophie– It was my chance to use all the cherries we had in the fridge! Loved your travel posts! Looked awesome! xox friend!
xox hugs! x
Delicious, like a giant chocolate-covered cherry (a favorite candy of mine)!
Hey there Marcia– thank you. Wanted to ask if you’ve seen Lisa See’s new book– The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. Just finished it– set in rural China and beyond. so good!! What are you reading this summer???
Yes, I listened to Tea Girl… on audio, loved it! Also just finished listening to Bruce Springsteen’s biography (read by himself) and was pleasantly surprised and inspired. 🙂
Hey Marcia– I’m putting the Springsteen book on my library list! I like biographies if they are not too heavy duty (ie 500 pages!). Sometimes I check out biographies from the kids department just to get the basics about someone I’m curious about. OK, well, Happy Reading!! And loved loved your new picture book recommendations! xoxo
Wow, love this!! Chocolate and cherries is a winning combo! I ate so many cherries in the NW these past weeks you’d think I’d be sick of them , but nope, not really. -Kat
We are awash in cherries right now too Kat– so cheap at the market I can’t pass them up. That’s kind of why I made this cake– use all those cherries! Want to hear about your travels… OK– just looked over at your blog and saw the awesome photos!! Looks amazing!! Do you have more??!
This cake is so pretty and looks totally delicious!
Oh thanks! Fun to find your travel blog! xo
This looks so elegant and scrumptious…God bless👌👌👌
thanks– so fun to hear from you! Just checked in to your blog– those gnocchi looks so tender and delicious! xo
Great words of encouragement…thank you very much😘