Black Forest Poke Cake

I’m so excited for you to try my version of this classic cake. I’m using my rich, dark chocolate chocolate cake with a luscious cherry compote and whipped mascarpone frosting. With the cherry compote soaked into every bite, this is truly an irresistibly moist and flavorful treat. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just looking for a show-stopping dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make, this Black Forest Poke Cake is sure to impress at any gathering. Let’s dive into how you can create this heavenly dessert right in your own kitchen!

What is a Poke Cake?

But first, what is a poke cake? A poke cake is a simple yet ingenious dessert that takes an ordinary cake to the next level by infusing it with extra flavor and moisture. After baking the cake, you “poke” holes all over it using the handle of a wooden spoon or a similar tool. These holes are then filled with a luscious liquid or filling, such as sweetened condensed milk, fruit puree, pudding, or gelatin, which seeps into the cake, creating pockets of deliciousness in every bite. Topped with whipped cream or frosting, poke cakes are incredibly versatile and allow for endless creativity in flavor combinations, making them a favorite for both novice and experienced bakers alike.

Ingredients to Make Black Forest Cake

For my Black Forest Cake, you’ll want to be grab some of the basics like flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and buttermilk. I also HIGHLY recommend that you get a good quality dark cocoa powder. Using a good quality, HIGH FAT cocoa powder in chocolate cake is a game changer. My favorite dark cocoa is Extra Brute Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder. For the filling and frosting, also grab canned cherries, corn starch, heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar.

How to Make Black Forest Poke Cake

Be sure to let the cake cool completely, as well as the compote, before you assemble.

Can This Cake Be Made Ahead of Time?

Yes! In fact, I think this one is even better when it’s made a day before you want to serve it. Giving the cherry compote time to really soak into the cake gives it even more flavor.

To store this cake, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

My Favorite Poke Cakes

Once you try this Black Forest Poke Cake, I know you’re going to be eager to make another one. Here are two poke cakes you have to try:

1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake
2. Pumpkin Poke Cake with Caramel Whipped Cream

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Black Forest Poke Cake

Rich and decadent chocolate cake with cherry compote and whipped mascarpone frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Beginner, Black Forest Poke Cake, sheet cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (88.5 g) Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder or similar premium brand
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk room temperature
• 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water
• 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract

For the Cherry Compote

• 24 oz tart canned cherries in water you can also use fresh cherries, pitted
• 3/4 cup liquid from the canned cherries if you use fresh cherries, add 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (9 g) corn starch

For the Mascarpone Frosting

• 1 2/3 cups (416 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch by 13-inch rectangular cake pans by spraying the bottom and sides with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
• In another medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, water, oil and vanill.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix on low speed or with a whisk until combined. Batter will be thin. Scrape sides and mix for another 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (you may need more time depending on your oven), until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool completely.
• Keep the cake in the baking dish for assembly.

For the Compote

• Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the cherries to soften and the liquid to thicken slightly. The liquid part should still be pourable. This is what we want to soak the cake. Let the compote cool before adding to the cake.

For the Mascarpone Whipped Frosting

• In a chilled stainless steel bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form.
• Add the mascarpone cheese and beat on high until medium-stiff peaks form.

Assembly

• Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a straw, poke holes all over the cake.
• Using a spoon, pour the juice of the cherry compote over the cake, making sure to get it into the holes.
• Spoon the cherries onto the cake in an even layer.
• Gently spread the mascarpone frosting over the cherries.
• Using a peeler and a chocolate bar, grate chocolate shavings on top of the cake.
• Carefully cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. This allows the cherry juice to soak into the cake.

The post Black Forest Poke Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Easy Cherry Cobbler Recipe

Summer is the season of sun-kissed days, warm evenings, and the bounty of fresh fruits. Among the seasonal delights, cherries stand out as a beloved favorite. They remind me of my childhood and visits to my uncle and aunt’s house, where we spent summer nights picking cherries off their trees.

Their sweet, juicy flavor truly makes them perfect for a variety of desserts, but there’s one classic treat that captures the essence of summer like no other: Cherry Cobbler. This easy cherry cobbler recipe is not only delicious but also simple enough to whip up in no time. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or enjoying a quiet evening at home, this cherry cobbler is sure to impress.

Ingredients for Cherry Cobbler

One of the many reasons I love this cherry cobbler recipe is how easy it is to make. In its simplest form, we’re using canned cherry pie filling. However, if you have time, you can certainly make this with a homemade cherry pie filling. You’ll want to make a 1.5x batch of my CHERRY PIE FILLING from my Cherry Cheese Pie Cake. In that recipe, you can use fresh or frozen cherries. Once the homemade cherry pie filling is made, add it to your baking dish and follow the instructions below for the cobbler topping and baking.

In addition to the cherry pie filling (homemade or canned), you’ll make a simple cobbler topping with all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and milk.

Simple Steps to Make Cherry Cobbler

For this cherry cobbler recipe, grab a bowl and a whisk – that’s it! Follow the steps below to whip up this easy summer recipe.

After the cobbler is done baking, let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. I like to add a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top.

Change It Up

You will love how versatile this recipe it.

• Swap gluten free flour for the all-purpose flour if you need a GF version.
• Try blueberries or blackberries if you don’t like cherries.
• Serve warm or cold.

This easy cherry cobbler is a quintessential summer dessert that combines the sweet, juicy goodness of cherries with a tender, buttery topping. It’s a versatile recipe that can be enjoyed warm or cold, and it pairs beautifully with ice cream or whipped cream. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner, this cherry cobbler recipe is a surefire way to impress your friends and family. So, gather your ingredients and celebrate the taste of summer with this delightful cherry cobbler!

FAQs

How do I store the Cherry Cobbler? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

How do I reheat the Cherry Cobbler? Reheat in the oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. You will know when the cobbler is done when the topping is golden brown and the cherry juices are bubbling on the sides.

Can I use a homemade filling? Absolutely! If you have time, I recommend whipping up a batch of my homemade cherry pie filling from my Cherry Cheese Pie Cake. Make 1.5x batch.

More Summer Recipes You’ll Love

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Cherry Cobbler

Flavorful and fresh cherry pie filling with a cake-like cobbler topping.

Course Dessert

Cuisine cobbler

Keyword Cherry, Cherry Cobbler, Cobbler, Easy Cherry Cobbler Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cans (21 oz) cherry pie filling
• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) flour
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
• 1 cup (8 oz) milk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Spread the cherry pie filling evenly in the 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Make a well in the middle and add the milk.
• Mix everything together until the dough comes together.
• Drop the dough evenly over the cherry pie filling until it is entirely covered.
• Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

Notes:

• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.

• You will know when the cobbler is done when the topping is golden brown and the cherry juices are bubbling on the sides.

• You can use homemade or store bought cherry pie filling. For the homemade cherry pie filling, make 1.5x batch of my cherry pie filling from my Cherry Cheese Pie Cake.

The post Easy Cherry Cobbler Recipe for Summer first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Classic Cherry Cheese Pie

Have you heard of Cherry Cheese Pie? It’s an incredibly easy, no bake dessert to whip up. Grab a pre-made graham cracker crust, mix cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice, top it all with cherry pie filling. That’s it! So easy, right?

The flavor combination is just amazing! Sweet, tart, and tangy – the best of everything.

Cherry Cheese Pie Cake

Thinking about all of these flavors and textures, I knew they’d be amazing in a cake. I kept the graham cracker crust very traditional and used it on the bottom of each cake layer. I then worked off my Blueberry Delight Cake for the cake layers and use a little cream cheese and buttermilk instead of ricotta. For the filling, I again stayed true to cherry cheese pie and did a simple combination of cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. It’s also filled with homemade cherry pie filling and covered in a graham cracker buttercream.

Ingredients You Need for Cherry Cheese Pie Cake

To make my Cherry Cheese Pie Cake, make sure you have the following (non-standard) ingredients on hand:

• Cream cheese
• Canned tart cherries or fresh cherries
• Graham crackers
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Lemons

How to Make a Cake

Don’t forget to follow my go-to tips for getting your cakes to rise and bake well:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

To get a light and fluffy buttercream frosting, make sure you follow my tips over at: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

You’ll want to check out the post linked above for more details on each step.

How to Cake It

In other words, how to assemble this cake:

• Place first cake layer, top side up, in the center of your cake board or cake plate.
• Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake.
• Spread about 1/2 cup of the cheesecake filling over the cake.
• Spread about 1/2 cup of the cherry filling over the cheese cake filling.
• Place second cake layer on top of fillings and repeat these steps.
• Place final cake layer on top and cover with a thin coat of buttercream.
• Freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Finish frosting the cake after the crumb coat is set with the remaining buttercream.

Best Cake Recipes

Other summer cake recipes you’ll love:

• Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake
• Boston Cream Pie Cake
• Chocolate Cola Cake
• Creamsicle Cake
• Ice Cream Sundae Cake
• Ultimate S’mores Cake

Recipe

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Cherry Cheese Pie Cake

Graham cracker crust, cream cheese cake layers, cheesecake filling, cherry pie filling and graham cracker buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Advanced, Almond Buttercream, Cherry Almond Cake, Cherry cheese pie cake, cherry pie cake, graham cracker crust, how to make buttercream frosting, pie inspired cake, summer cake

Servings 20

Ingredients

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

• 25 (380 g) graham crackers full rectangle cracker
• 3/4 cup (165 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE CAKE

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5.6 g) salt
• 1 cup (218 g) grapeseed oil
• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3 eggs room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk 1 can of Eagle Brand
• 1/3 cup (76.6 g) freshly squeezed lemon juice

FOR THE CHERRY PIE FILLING

• 15 oz tart canned cherries in water you can also use fresh cherries, pitted
• 1/2 cup (118 g) liquid from the canned cherries if you use fresh cherries, add 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp (18 g) corn starch
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 5 1/2 cups (687.5 g) powdered sugar measured then sifted
• 1/2 cup (60 g) graham crackers, finely ground about 7 whole crackers
• 1/2 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• *This buttercream reipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you'll want to make an extra 1/4 to 1/2 batch.

Instructions

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, line with parchment, and spray again. Set aside.
• In a food processor or blender combine the graham cracker, sugar and melted butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
• Divide the crumbs between the three pans (about 7 ounces in each). Pat firmly into place.
• Bake the crusts for 5 minutes.

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the grapeseed oil, cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium, add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition. Once all of the eggs are added, turn the mixer to mediump-high speed and beat for an additional 2 miniutes.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk in three additions, starting and finishing with the flour. Combine until incorporated, about 20 to 30 seconds.
• Evenly distribute the batter among the three cake pans on top of the crusts (about 15-16 ounces of batter in each pan) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
• Let cool in pans 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in your refrigerator overnight or freezer for longer.

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• In a medium size mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice until smooth.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

FOR THE CHERRY PIE FILLING

• Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the cherries to soften and the liquid to thicken. It should coat your spoon well.
• This is best made ahead of time and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple weeks.

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER BUTTERCREAM

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about two minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sifted powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix for another minute.
• Add the graham cracker crumbs, heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat the buttercream for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Use a spoon to mix the frosting by hand, which will push out the air pockets created by the electric mixer.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board or cake plate. Using a piping bag, pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake.
• Fill the cake with 1/2 cup cheesecake filling, followed by 1/2 cup cherry compote.
• Place the second cake layer on top and repeat step two.
• Place the final cake layer on top and apply a thin layer of buttercream around the entire. Freeze the cake for about 10 minutes to set crumb coat.
• Finish frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream and top with remaining cheesecake filling and cherry compote.

The post The Most Delicious Cherry Cheese Pie Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

What are your plans for this Valentine’s Day? My husband Ryan and I don’t normally celebrate Valentine’s Day, but I still love to create some fun and delicious Valentine-themed cakes. Here are 5 fun Valentine’s Day cake ideas you can try this year! I hope they make your Valentine’s Day that much more special. 

This list is made up of some of my favorite cakes I’ve made over the years for Valentine’s Day. Something I love about cakes, especially for holidays, is that the flavor combinations are timeless. (For example, chocolate-covered strawberries.) I hope you have fun baking and eating these cakes as much as I have! 

5 Fun Valentine’s Day Cake Ideas

Valentine’s Day Cake Idea #1: Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Cake

I made this Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Cake to surprise my kids one year for Valentine’s Day! Kids make every holiday a bit more magical, don’t you think? There are a lot of different elements to this cake, so make sure to check out my original post for a step-by-step tutorial on putting it together and getting the best results with the cake layers, frostings, and everything in between. 

Valentine’s Day Cake Idea #2: Red Velvet Bundt Cake

This would be a fun Valentine’s cake to whip up if you don’t have a lot of time this holiday. Something I love about my Red Velvet Bundt Cake is that I use red velvet emulsion instead of red food coloring. The emulsion really boosts the color and the flavor, making this cake that much better. If you can’t find red velvet emulsion, red food coloring is totally fine to use. It will still taste amazing! 

Valentine’s Day Cake Idea #3: Pink Velvet Cake with Raspberry Buttercream 

My Pink Velvet Cake with Raspberry Buttercream is a fun twist to the traditional red velvet cake. For this pink velvet cake, I use my favorite vanilla cake recipe and add in just a couple of drops of food coloring to get the pink color. I cannot get over how pink and tender these cake layers look! Adding the fresh raspberries on top is the perfect finishing touch. 

Valentine’s Day Cake Idea #4: Strawberry Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake

Chocolate-covered strawberries, anyone? I had so much fun making this Strawberry Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake. The strawberry buttercream is really the star of the show because it tastes more like strawberries and cream. And it pairs so perfectly with the slightly bitter dark chocolate cake layers and chocolate ganache. I promise you will fall in love when you take that first bite! 

Valentine’s Day Cake Idea #5: Old Fashioned Cherry Chip Cake

I had a lot of fun playing around with the recipe for my Old Fashioned Cherry Chip Cake. There are several ways to get the color and flavors you want to pop the most, so check out my original post to see my tips on getting the best results. This vintage Valentine’s Day cake would be a hit at any Valentine’s Day party! 

5 Fun Valentine’s Day Cake Ideas

I hope you enjoyed these 5 fun Valentine’s Day cake ideas! There’s nothing like embracing the Valentine’s holiday by baking and eating a delicious pink cake. If you liked these ideas and want even more inspiration for your cakes this Valentine’s Day, check out these posts:

• 7 Cute and Easy Valentine’s Cake Ideas
• Valentine’s Day Cakes

I hope all of you have a Happy Valentine’s Day celebrating with your loved ones! Follow me on Instagram @cakebycourtney for more tips and recipes on all things cake.

The post 5 Fun Valentine’s Day Cake Ideas first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

OK, I had to showcase just a few more pie-inspired cakes because the Thanksgiving ones cover just a small amount of all the delicious cakes! Here are 5 pie-inspired cakes you’ll love. These are some of my most popular recipes, so I know you’ll find one (or two) that become a go-to for your cake cravings. 

These 5 pie-inspired cakes cover a wide range of flavors from fruit to chocolate and everything in between, so I hope you find you resonate with the best! I always have so much fun creating new cake recipes and it’s even better when I can share the recipe and it becomes one of your favorites too. There’s nothing quite like this cake baker community! 

Cake #1: Boston Cream Pie Cake

This Boston Cream Pie Cake has been around for decades and decades! When I made my own version, I didn’t want to stray too far from the original. There’s no need when the cake is already such a classic loved by many. I hope you enjoy this nostalgic yellow cake with vanilla custard and chocolate ganache!

Cake #2: Coconut Key Lime Pie Cake

My Coconut Key Lime Pie Cake is a celebration of several flavors. Before I created this recipe, I was stuck because I wasn’t sure what I wanted in it. Once I realized lime would just be another element to the cake, I was set to bake! This delicious cake mainly showcases coconut, lime, and graham cracker crust that all go so well together. 

Cake #3: Turtle Pie Cake

This Turtle Pie Cake has all the best ingredients rolled into one cake. Caramel, chocolate, candied nuts, buttercream. Is your mouth watering yet? This cake is extremely tender and moist, exactly how cake should be. This cake has an impressive height to it, so make sure to check out the original post to see how to achieve that when you make it! 

Cake #4: Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake

I invented this Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake by combining two desserts that effortlessly go together: the black forest cake and cherry pie. I’m so glad I did because this cake couldn’t taste more amazing! I use acetate strips to hold the cake together while assembling it since it’s a little harder for it to stick when adding wetter ingredients in between layers. There’s also a secret to the bottom cake layer, so make sure to check that out before baking this cake! 

Cake #5: Cherry Cheese Pie Cake

My Cherry Cheese Pie Cake is the perfect combination of sweet, tart, and tang. This recipe is inspired by the incredibly easy no-bake dessert, cherry cheese pie. Thinking of all the ingredients that make up this dessert, I knew they would taste delicious baked as a cake. This cake also features my buttercream frosting, so you can never go wrong there! 

I know out of these 5 pie-inspired cakes you’ll love at least one of them. Let me know which one you try first! For more tips and new recipes, follow me on Instagram @cakebycourtney. Happy baking! 

The post 5 Pie-inspired Cake You’ll Love first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Thank you, Betty Crocker

There’s no way to start a post about Cherry Chip Cake without thanking the “first lady of food,” Betty Crocker, for this cake flavor. I think it’s also interesting to note, Betty Crocker is actually a fictional character, made up by General Mills for marketing purposes. In fact, when the Betty Crocker brand was first introduced in the 30’s, there was a “Betty Crocker” in many of the US markets answering baking and cooking questions on local radio station (think, Dear Abby, but food specific).

Some of the first Betty Crocker box cake mix flavors were classics like yellow cake and chocolate cake. Cherry Chip came a little later and truly is most well-known as a box cake mix. Unfortunately, it’s not a flavor you can find very often on shelves and it’s not a super popular from-scratch recipe either.

Old Fashioned Cherry Chip Cake

To be honest, this wasn’t a flavor I had on my list until suggested to me by many of you over the last couple of years. As I’ve been working on my vintage cakes, the trend of diced fruit in cake layers was coming up a lot and I thought it was about time I tackle a Cherry Chip Cake because it fits so well with so many of these vintage cakes.

Cherry Chip Cake Layers

It took me a couple rounds of experimenting to get the flavor, texture and colors I was looking for.

To get the beautiful pink color and some cherry flavor in the cake layers, we’re adding the juice from the jar of maraschino cherries. However, I don’t think the juice alone provides enough cherry flavor (adding a ton more didn’t help either), so I’ve added a little cherry Jell-O (which amps up our color a bit, as well) and a good amount of chopped maraschino cherries. If you can’t find cherry Jell-O, don’t stress. You’ll see below where we add some other elements of cherry that help increase the flavor.

Similar to my Creamsicle Cake, I’ve made these layers to be extra thick (an extra .5x a normal batch of my cake recipe).

Chopped Cherries

Before we move on to the fillings and buttercream, I wanted to give you a few tips about the cherries.

• Use a food processor or blender and pulse the cherries into small pieces.
• After you’ve chopped the cherries, spread them out over a paper towel and let them sit out for a few hours to dry up. If possible, chop the cherries and let them sit out overnight.
• Before adding the cherries to the cake batter, make sure to toss them in a little flour. This helps the cherries not sink to the bottom of the cake layers while baking.

Fillings and Buttercream

Fillings

After my first round of cake layers and buttercream, I felt like the cake needed a little extra cherry flavor, so I tested it out with a small slather of cherry jam and fell in love.

I also polled Instagram about whether or not Cherry Chip Cake should have some chocolate in it. The majority vote was “YES!,” so I added just a drizzle of dark chocolate ganache between the layers, as well.

Buttercream

For the buttercream, I used my classic vanilla buttercream recipe as my base and added some more maraschino cherry juice for flavor. The juice alone won’t give you enough pink color, so I added Americolor Soft Pink food gel to most of my buttercream and reserved about a cup of buttercream for the red.

I hope you enjoy this Old Fashioned Cherry Chip Cake as much as I do! Follow me on Instagram @cakebycourtney for more tips and tricks on all things cake.

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Cherry Chip Cake

Cherry chip cake layers, with cherry jam, chocolate ganache and cherry buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Cherry Chip, Cherry Chip Cake, Intermediate

Servings 20

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups (450 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cherry flavored Jell-O you can leave it out if you're unable to find this
• 7 egg whites at room temperature
• 1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cups (508 g) cake flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp (15 g) baking powder
• 3/4 tsp (8 g) salt
• 3/4 cup (180 g) buttermilk at room temperature
• 3/4 cup maraschino cherry juice drained from the cherries
• 6 oz. chopped maraschino cherries about the amount of cherries in one regular jar of maraschino cherries. I pulsed mine in a food processor

FOR THE JAM

• 1/2 cup cherry preserves mine were store-bought

FOR THE GANACHE

• 1/2 cup (87.5 g) dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup (57 g) heavy whipping cream

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 6 cups (670 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1/4 cup (57 g) heavy whipping cream
• 10 tbsp maraschino cherry juice
• pink and red food coloring optional
• **This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/4 to 1/2 batch.

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Using a food processor or blender, pulse the cherries into small pieces. Drain and let dry for a least an hour.
• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch pans (or four 6-inch pans) with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and Jell-O on medium-high speed for about 3 to 5 minutes. You want the mixture to get lighter in color and texture. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the mixture has combined well.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg whites in three additions, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition. Once all of the egg whites are added, turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and stir again.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and cherry juice.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until combined.
• Toss the chopped cherries in a tablespoon of flour. Fold the cherries into the cake batter.
• Divide the batter between the three 8-inch pans, about 22 ounces of batter in each pan. Bake on the middle rack for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Let the cakes cool on write racks, in the pans, for about 15 minutes and then invert onto wire racks to cool completely. TIP: spray your write racks with nonstick spray.

FOR THE GANACHE

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream on high for about 30 to 40 seconds.
• Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for about 5 minutes.
• Stir the cream and the chocolate chips until smooth and silky. Let cool to room temperature before using.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy and pale in color.
• With the mixer on slow, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream, and the cherry juice.
• Once all of the ingredients are combined, turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for a couple minutes more.
• If you want to decorate the cake as pictured, remove about a cup of buttercream from the bowl and tint it red. The remaining buttercream can be tinted a stronger pink with pink food coloring, if desired.
• Before using the buttercream, make sure to beat it by hand with a wooden spoon or large spatula to help push out the air pockets.

ASSEMBLY

• Spread a small dollop of frosting on your cake board. This will act like glue to hold your cake in place.
• Place your first cake layer, top side up, on your cake board. Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake.
• Evenly spread about 3 tablespoons of cherry jam over the cake layer, followed by a drizzle of chocolate ganache. You don't need much of either. We want a hint of the cherry and chocolate but nothing that's overpowering the cake and buttercream.
• Place the next cake layer on top of the filling and repeat steps 2 and 3.
• Set your final cake layer, top side down, on your second layer of filling. Apply a thin layer of buttercream over your entire cake. This does not need to look pretty or be even. This coat of frosting is simply to lock in the crumbs. Freeze your cake for about 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• After the crumb coat is set, finish frosting your cake with the buttercream.

The post Old Fashioned Cherry Chip Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

I’m excited to start a new week with a new cake. Today’s cake is inspired by another vintage recipe. I ordered a few more books from ETSY, and one of the collections happened to be books from Canada, one of which was written by the Canadian flour brand, Robin Hood. They’re known for their pre-sifted all-purpose flour. As I scrolled through the book, this Cherry Almond Cake caught my attention pretty quickly. I’ve never done these flavors together!

Cherry Almond Cake

My first attempt, as always, was using the exact recipe from the cookbook. I wasn’t wild about using maraschino cherries in the cake batter but went with it. (Something about the texture of those cherries… not my fave).

But who knows? Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Plus, I think it’s important to always try someone else’s recipe, as is, so you know what it’s supposed to taste like before you make changes.

As I expected, I didn’t love the cherries in the cake. But it wasn’t just the cherries. There was something about the texture of the cake that was off for me too.

Rounds 2 and 3

It ended up taking me three additional rounds of baking to get this cake where I knew it needed to be. For rounds 2 and 3, I was using cake flour, a full cup of butter (instead of 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening), played around with the eggs, and kept the temperature low, per the original recipe.

The end result for both of those rounds was a sunken cake with a texture that was not tender enough.

I never mind a failed attempt, though. It’s the thought of learning from my mistakes that gets me even more excited for the finished product that I know I’ll eventually get to.

Round 4

So as I thought about rounds 1, 2, and 3, I thought back to the Edna Lewis recipe I posted on my Instagram account the other day. (You can check it out HERE). Edna’s cake was very similar to what I knew this cake was supposed to taste like, minus the flavorings. I decided to return to her recipe and compare it to what I was working with here from Peter Pan Flour.

One thing I noticed right away was that Edna was using all-purpose flour. I had been using cake flour. Not sure why I just reach for that first. I think I was just thinking that instead of sifting my all-purpose flour, I’d use cake flour and skip that step. Well, I know better!

I should have used all-purpose flour.

I should have also cut down on butter right away. One cup of butter was too much for the amount of flour and sugar in this recipe.

So with Edna’s recipe as my base, I added some almond extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and baked the cake at a higher heat than the cookbook suggested and got the exact cake I had hoped for. It’s definitely a denser cake, but it’s so tender and delicious. You’ll want to just eat the cake on its own!

Compote and Buttermilk Whipped Cream

To add the cherry element, I made cherry almond compote with fresh cherries, almond extract, and lemon juice. Don’t be afraid to double this recipe. It’s so tasty and would be a delicious addition to a sandwich or avocado toast!

The buttermilk whipped cream is one that I used on my Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble. I love how the tangy buttermilk pairs with the tart cherries.

Enjoy!

Similar Recipes You’ll Love

• (Not a Pie) Cherry Cheese Pie Cake
• Apple Almond Caramel Cake with Almond White Chocolate Buttercream
• Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake
• Old Fashioned Cherry Chip Cake
• Florida Orange Flower Cake

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Cherry Almond Cake

Tender almond cake with cherry almond compote, buttermilk whipped cream and toasted almonds.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Almond Cake, Beginner, Cherry Almond Cake

Ingredients

FOR THE COMPOTE (best to make a day ahead)

• 3 cups (467 g) pitted, whole cherries
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (7.5 g) corn starch
• 2 tsp (8 g) almond extract
• 1 tbsp (14.4 g) lemon juice

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp (10 g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups (267 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp (4 g) almond extract
• 1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• zest of one large lemon
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120 g) buttermilk

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

• 1/2 cup (120 g) buttermilk cold
• 1 cup (231 g) whipped cream cold
• 1/2 cup (125 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted

FOR THE TOASTED ALMONDS

• 1/2 sliced almonds

Instructions

FOR THE COMPOTE

• Combine all of the ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally while the cherries start to softed, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place the mixture in a blender or food processor and pulse a couple times. You don't want to blend the compote for too long, otherwise you won't have any of the cherry chunks.
• Return to the saucepan and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, while the mixture thickens.
• Turn the heat off and let cool a bit. Store in a air tight container overnight.

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8" spring form pan or cake pan with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together for about 2 to 3 minutes, until light in color and fluffy in texture.
• Add the eggs, one at a time and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition. Add the almond extract, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Mix until combined.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

• Combine all of the ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and whisk on high until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to use.

FOR THE TOASTED ALMONDS

• Over medium heat, toast the almond slices in large pan so the almonds are in one layer. Toss continually so they don't burn.

The post Cherry Almond Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Brainstorming

I’ve been wanting to make a Black Forest Cake for some time, but I keep putting it off because I’ve been hoping to come up with an idea to make it a little more unique than most recipes. I hadn’t come up with anything.

I also had the idea recently to make a cherry pie cake for the Fourth of July. While I don’t love pie, there’s something so American about a classic cherry pie, that it seemed like the perfect cake to make for the coming holiday.

Then, as it usually happens, I was laying in bed thinking about cake when the idea hit me to combine these two classic desserts. Taking the chocolate cake and whipped frosting elements from a Black Forest Cake and combining them with a fresh cherry pie filling and pie crumbs seemed liked the perfect marriage! So off to the kitchen I went to whip it up.

Cake Prep

With all that I wanted to put into this cake, stacking it like a Milk Bar cake was the only way to go. I like to use the Milk Bar method of stacking cakes (using acetate strips to hold it all together during assembly) when I have softer fillings and frostings that won’t hold as well in a traditional layered cake.

For this cake, you’ll need a couple special items:

• Acetate strips
• Quarter sheet pan
• 6-inch cake ring

You’ll be baking your cake in a quarter sheet pan so that you can cut out the cake circles in perfect 6-inch rounds. This ensures your cake layers rest flat against the acetate strips as you stack, creating a beautiful naked look when you take the acetate off.

When you cut the cake rounds, you’ll be able to get two full circles and two half circles. The two half circles will be used for the bottom layer. Take a look at the next few pictures to help you visualize how stacking this cake works.

After you get the two half cake rounds in the acetate, you’ll then use cake scraps to fill in the center. I know this seems a bit messy, but no one will notice once you cut into the cake and start eating!

After the cake layer is assembled, you’ll then layer the chocolate ganache, pie crumbs, cherry pie filling and mascarpone frosting.

After the first round of all the elements are stacked, you’ll do it a second time before adding the final cake layer and decorating with frosting and fresh cherries.

Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake

The flavor combinations and textures in this cake are so satisfying! You get a bit of bittersweet chocolate, tart cherries, crunchy, salty pie crumbs and a sweet, tart frosting.

It’s like eating chocolate covered cherries wrapped in pie crust.

You’ll want to actually make this cake a day head of time or early in the morning of your party. It needs to be frozen for at least 8-12 hours and then stored in the refrigerator to thaw but stay chilled.

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake

A combination of Black Forest Cake and Cherry Pie make up my new Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake: layers of chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, fresh cherry pie filling, pie crumbs and mascarpone frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 10 hours hours

Servings 1 3 layer, 6-inch cake

Author Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 1/4 cups  plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup  minus 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ( 4 g) baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.8 g) kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (120 g) buttermilk shaken
• 1/4 cup (54.5 g) vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.1 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (118 g) hot water

FOR THE GANACHE

• 1/2 cup (75 g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy cream

FOR THE PIE CRUMBS (recipe from Milk Bar)

• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) kosher salt
• 8 tablespoons 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 g) water

FOR THE CHERRY PIE FILLING

• 1 lbs. fresh cherries pitted 
• 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons (16.8 g) corn starch sifted

FOR THE MASCARPONE FROSTING

• 8 oz. mascarpone
• 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1 cup (231 g) heavy whipping cream

GARNISH

• Fresh cherries

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 360 degrees F. Spray a quarter sheet pan and line it with parchment and spray again. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix for about 30 seconds.
• In a separate bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients and whisk for a few seconds.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Once all the wet ingredients are added, continue to mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 15 to 30 seconds. Don't over beat this batter.
• Pour the batter into a quarter sheet baking pan. Bake the cake for 16-18 minutes.
• Cool completely before using.
• Cake can be made up to two weeks ahead of time. After the cake cools completely, wrap the cake in the pan in plastic wrap twice and then once with tin foil.

FOR THE GANACHE

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream for about 1 minute.
• Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for about 5 minute. Stir until all the chocolate is incorporated.
• Can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

FOR THE PIE CRUMBS

• Head your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside
• Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for about 20 seconds.
• With the mixer on low speed add the butter and water and mix until the mixture starts to come together in small clusters. 
• Spread the pie crumbs on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely before using.
• Crumbs can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or one month in the fridge or freezer. 

FOR THE CHERRY PIE FILLING

• Combine the pitted cherries, sugar and sifted cornstarch in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens.
• Let cool completely before using.
• Can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

FOR THE MASCARPONE FROSTING

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whipped the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Move to a separate bowl and refrigerate until next part is done.
• In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone cheese and sifted powdered sugar until combined. 
• Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until no streaks of cream remain. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you're ready to use. 

ASSEMBLY

• Put a piece of parchment on the counter. Invert the chocolate cake onto it and peel off the parchment from the bottom side of the cake. Use a 6-inch cake ring to stamp out 2 circles from the cake and then two half circles (as shown above in the pictures).
• Clean the cake ring and place it in the center of a sheet pan lined with clean parchment. Use 1 strip of acetate to line the inside of the cake ring. (This is essential, as it is going to support the cake as you layer all the amazing elements.)
• Place the two chocolate cake half circles inside the acetate and place them against the sides of the acetate. Fill in the center gap with cake scraps, as shown above. 
• Use the back of a spoon to spread 1/4 cup of the chocolate ganache over the chocolate cake, making sure to spread up against the acetate.
• Spread sprinkle the chocolate ganache with pie crumbs, followed by 1/2 of the cherry pie filling and 1/3 of the mascarpone frosting.  
• With your index finger, gently tuck the second strip of acetate between the cake ring and the top 1/4 inch of the first strip of acetate, so that you have a clear ring of acetate 5 to 6 inches tall - high enough to support the height of the finished cake.
• Set one of the full chocolate cake layers round on top of the mascarpone frosting and repeat the chocolate ganache, pie crumbs, cherry pie filling and mascarpone frosting. 
• Nestle the last chocolate cake layer on top of the mascarpone frosting and decorate with remaining mascarpone frosting, fresh cherries and leftover pie crumbs.
• Transfer the sheet pan to the freezer and freeze for a minimum of 12 hours to set the cake and the fillings. The cake will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks, covered in plastic wrap.
• At least three hours before you are ready to serve the cake, pull the sheet pan out of the freezer. Using your fingers and thumb, pop the cake out of the cake ring and gently peel off the acetate. Let it defrost in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours. 

The post Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.