Cherry Chocolate Cake
This Cherry Chocolate Cake is loaded with cherries in every bite. A fluffy chocolate sponge cake filled with caramel cream and shaved chocolate on top.
Servings 12
Ingredients
For the Chunky Cherry Syrup:
- 2 lbs. fresh cherries
- ½ cup sugar
For the Chocolate Sponge:
- 5 eggs large, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the Cream:
- 5 cups heavy cream
- ½ can Dulce de Leche
- 1 lb. fresh cherries for garnishing
- 1/2 chocolate bar
Instructions
How to Chunky Cherry Syrup
- Cut each cherry in half, remove cherry pits, and place them into a small pot. Add sugar and bring to a boil on high, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the stove top and cool completely.
How to Make the Chocolate Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Sift dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a small bowl. Combine and set aside.
- Beat eggs and sugar on high-speed for 5 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients into egg mixture in two separate additions, stirring very carefully not to deflate too many air bubbles.
- Bake the sponge for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, then spring pan and cool completely.
- Slice cooled sponge in half.
- Remove the softness of the sponge in chunks, leaving the crisp outer shell intact.
- Set the sponge pieces aside until ready for use.
How to Make the Cream
- Beat heavy cream just until it thickens. Add ½ can Dulce de Leche and beat just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 15-20 seconds (do not over mix).
- Reserve 1/3 of the cream and place it in a separate bowl for the outer coating.
- Strain the chunky cherry syrup. Set aside until ready for use.
- Add sponge pieces into the cream and mix them in until just combined (try to keep the sponge pieces not mashed).
- Then add strained cherries and mix just until combined. Do not over mix to keep sponge pieces and cherries large and visible in the end-result.
How to Assemble the Cake
- Soak the top and bottom cake crusts with the reserved strained cherry syrup.
- Place the bottom of the sponge cake onto a cake platter. Pack all of the cream/sponge/cherry fillings and cover with the top crust of the cake sponge. Ice the top and sides of the cake with the reserved cream.
- Grace the cake a with the one-pound pile of fresh cherries. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with chocolate shavings. (I use a potato peeler to shave the chocolate bar.) Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight for best results.
Notes
- Always use fresh cherries if you can. They provide the best flavor and texture for your chunky cherry syrup, which is a key component of this cake.
- Room temperature eggs are a must for the chocolate sponge. They incorporate more easily and help the cake rise properly.
- When adding the dry ingredients to the egg mixture for the chocolate sponge, do so in two separate additions. This helps to keep the batter smooth and prevents overmix, which can lead to a dense cake.
- When making the cream, don't overbeat it. Once it's thickened, gently fold in the dulce leche for a smooth, creamy texture.
- Don't rush the cake assembly. Let the sponge soak up the cherry syrup, and allow the assembled cake to chill for at least 6 hours. This allows the flavors to meld and the sponge to soften, giving you a perfectly moist cake.