Chocolate Cherry Bars
User Reviews
4.5
Chocolate Cherry Bars
Description
This dessert bars recipe uses a store-bought devil's food cake mix combined with canned cherry pie filling and almond extract, yielding a moist, cherry-studded cake layer. The batter is baked in a greased pan until a toothpick comes out clean, indicating doneness without drying out.
While still warm, the bars are generously topped with a chocolate glaze made by boiling sugar, milk, butter, then stirring in chocolate chips and almond extract until smooth. This glossy topping sets as it cools, adding a creamy chocolate layer contrasting the cherry cake beneath.
These bars can be cut into portions once fully cooled, making them easy to serve at gatherings or as a home-baked treat. The almond extract imparted in both cake and frosting creates harmony in the flavor.
Cooling can be accelerated by refrigeration but serves best at room temperature to maintain softness.
Ingredients
Cake Bars:
- 1 devil's food cake mix 18.25-oz. package; other package sizes useable
- 1 cherry pie filling 21-oz. can
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 egg beaten
Frosting:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 /3 cup milk
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 /4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 15x10x1-inch baking pan or 13x9-inch baking dish. Photo above was in a 13X9-inch baking dish.
- In large bowl, combine all cake bar ingredients (cake mix, cherry pie filling, almond extract, and eggs);
- Stir until well blended. You can use a stand mixer or stir by hand. A stand mixer will break up the cherries a bit more. Pour into greased and floured pan.
- Bake at 350°F. until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. For 15x10x1-inch pan, bake 20 to 30 minutes; for 13x9-inch pan, bake 25 to 35 minutes.
- In small saucepan, combine sugar, milk and butter. Bring mixture to a boil and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips and almond extract until smooth. Pour and spread over warm bars. Cool 2 hours or until completely cooled. You can speed up this process by placing them in the fridge to cool. Cut into bars.
Notes
- Use a toothpick to test doneness before removing from oven to avoid overbaking.
- Cool bars completely before cutting to get clean slices and prevent topping from melting.
- For quicker cooling, place bars in the refrigerator, but serve at room temperature for best texture.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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