Simple Cherry Chocolate Cake has a delicious crispy almond topping underneath which lies a moist chocolate sponge spiked with fresh cherries!
Cherries & chocolate are a classic combination, you only have to think of Black Forest Gateaux, so I knew this combination would be a winner. I also added a layer of flaked almonds to the bottom of the tin which toast nicely during baking and add a bit of extra crunch and flavour. The bottom of this cake actually becomes the top and is finished off with a dusting of icing sugar.
The resulting cake has a nice nutty outer crust whilst maintaining moisture inside from the cherries enrobed in the chocolate sponge. I was planning on sharing this cake with visitors but sadly they had to cancel so we had to eat all the cake ourselves. It was a tough job but someone had to do it😊
How long will Simple Cherry Chocolate Cake keep for?
How long will Simple Cherry Chocolate Cake keep for?Three days in an airtight container (the cake gets moister on storing due to the moisture of the cherries).
What if I haven’t got fresh cherries to make Simple Cherry Chocolate Cake?
If you can use the best tasting and freshest cherries you can find. However you could use frozen sweet cherries (yes there are sour ones) straight from the freezer or even drained tinned cherries.
How many people does this cherry cake serve?
How many people does this cherry cake serve?This Cherry Chocolate Cake will serve 8 – 10 people, so perfect for a tea party!
Could I change the cherries to another fruit?
Yes, freshly sliced, firm, peeled pears would work well or any other fruit that you enjoy with chocolate!
Could I add actual chocolate to Simple Cherry Chocolate Cake?
Yes if you have it, a 100 g bar of chopped up dark chocolate would be a great addition, just fold in along with the cherries.
What other recipes can you make with cherries?
What other recipes can you make with cherries?I do hope you try my Simple Cherry Chocolate Cake as it’s so easy to make and as it doesn’t require icing there’s minimal washing up too! You might like to check out these cherry themed recipes too:
- Cherzipan Cake (Cherry & Marzipan Cake)
- Cherry Jam
- Healthy Black Forest Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Tart
- White Forest Cake
- Vegan Cherry Cake Bites
When you make my Simple Cherry Chocolate Cake do leave a comment and rating below! You can also share a photo with me by tagging @FabFood4All on Instagram.
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Simple Cherry Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 25 g flaked or ground almonds
- 170 g softened butter or buttery spread
- 85 g soft brown sugar
- 155 g plain flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 15 g cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 200 - 220 g cherries pitted & halved
- icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C.
- Grease and flour a 20cm spring form baking tin.
- Sprinkle on the flaked almonds.
- Cream together the butter/spread and soft brown sugar until pale and fluffy. (Use an electric whisk or stand mixer).
- Beat in the egg a little at a time until fully incorporated.
- Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together in a bowl.
- Gradually fold in the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time with a large metal spoon (moving in a figure of 8) until fully mixed in.
- Then fold in the cherry halves.
- Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and place on the middle shelf of oven.
- Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean or cake springs back to the touch.
- Turn cake out onto a wire rack to cool.
- Once cool dust with icing sugar.
- Serves 8 – 10 and keeps for 3 days.
Yllka Jensen
I’ve got fresh cheries from the garden and was not to sure what to do with them, luckily I came across your recipe and will be giving it a try today. Quick question tho, can I use quail eggs instead? Looking forward to it.
Camilla
Hi Yllka, I’ve just Googled and yes you can use quail eggs in place of chicken eggs in baking. Just be sure to use equal weight of egg.
Sasha
This is a nice simple effective recipe. I added in the 100g chocolate and it made it incredibly chocolately. I was a bit concerned when I added the eggs to the butter/sugar as it looked like it curdled but it was okay when I added the dry ingredients. I don’t have whisk so was doing it by hand,
Camilla
Wonderful Sasha, adding chocolate sounds like a fabulous idea. Well done for making it without an electric whisk, no wonder it curdled, but it never really matters as you found out:-)
Janet Meek
Hi am I ok using Glacé cherries in this cake as I will put them in warm water to get the syrup off them?
Camilla
Hi Janet, that would be fine, just use them as they are. Saying that, in the UK glacé cherries don’t really have much more than a sticky glaze on them.
Douglas Yuen
Hello, I will be making this wonderful recipe of yours but would this cake work in a 23 cm springform cake tin? If so would the baking time need to be adjusted?
Thank you,
Douglas
Camilla
Hi Douglas, I wouldn’t use the quantities in my recipe in a 23cm cake tin as you would have a very flat and dry cake. I’ve found this conversion site for you where you can convert my recipe ingredients to the quantity required for your 23 cm tin. You would need to add a little time to the baking time, so I’d check at 35 mins to gauge this. http://www.cakebaker.co.uk/baking-tin-size-conversion-calculator.html
Shaheena
Hi Camilla,
Would jarred morello cherries also work?
Camilla
I haven’t tried but I think they might be a bit squishy in comparison to fresh cherries, but never say never:-)
Aarushi
Hi, this is a lovely recipe!! I just had a quick question, would it be possible to use a normal cake tin rather than a springform pan?
Camilla
Hi Aarushi, if you don’t have a spring form tin then I would line the base of a normal tin with greased baking parchment to make sure the cake releases once baked.
Jill's Mad About Macarons
Love the look of this, Camilla – and hear you on the pears. Baking so much with them just now but one minute they’re as hard as turnips then I forget about them and they turn so ripe quickly! Dying for our cherry season – lucky you to have fresh ones already.
Camilla
Thanks Jill, yes pears are sneaky little devils aren’t they:-)
Helen @ family-friends-food.com
This looks fabulous. I love the idea of putting almonds on the bottom of the tin – genius!
Camilla
Thank you Helen:-)
Lucy
I love the sound of this cake with fresh cherries and chocolate but simple enough for afternoon tea as well!
Camilla
Thank you Lucy, it is yummy:-)
Camilla
Thank you Lucy, it is a winning combination:-)
Monika Dabrowski
Gorgeous looking cake, easy to make and with one of my favourite flavour combinations. Thank you for including my recipe!
Camilla
Thank you Monica:-)
Kavita Favelle
Love the look of this, Camilla, like a fruit cake but with chocolate, doubly good. Looks really comforting!
Camilla
Thank you Kavey, I wish I had a slice right now:-)
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes
I am in love with any cherry dessert – combined with chocolate? And simple!? It doesn’t get better! Yum!
Camilla
Thank you, me too Alexandra:-)
Jenny Walters
What a wonderful cake and fab flavour combo. I could eat it all to myself! I adore fruited sponges never mind with chocolate. Divine x
Camilla
Thank you so much Jenny, it is a fab cake:-)
Corina Blum
I love chocolate and cherries together and I think this cake looks so lovely and moist too!
Camilla
Thank you Corina, they are made for each other aren’t they:-)
Camilla
Thank you they are a fabulous combination:-)
Camilla
Thank you Corina, they work so well together:-)
Mandy
This looks delicious. I haven’t made a cherry cake for ages – really must do something about that! Thanks for linking to my recipe.
Camilla
Thank you Mandy and a pleasure:-)
Janice
What a wonderful looking cake! Chocolate and cherries are such a great combination.
Camilla
Thank you Janice, it is a lovely cake:-)