Drunken Cherry Chocolate Cake
User Reviews
4.9
Drunken Cherry Chocolate Cake
Description
The Drunken Cherry Chocolate Cake features chocolate cake layers made from a blend of cocoa powders and all-purpose flour, giving it a deep chocolate flavor and tender texture. These layers are complemented by fresh cherries soaked in golden rum, which infuse a subtle boozy note and soften their tartness. The filling and frosting incorporate some of the cherry rum syrup for added moisture and flavor continuity. The frosting is a cream cheese-based blend with butter and powdered sugar, yielding a creamy, slightly tangy finish that pairs well with the sweet and rich layers.
The cake is assembled by layering the soaked cherries between the cake layers, followed by a smoothing of the cream cheese frosting. Semi-sweet chocolate shavings and fresh cherries on top provide a decorative touch and hint at the flavors inside. Resting the cake at room temperature before serving helps enhance its moistness and softness.
This dessert suits occasions where a luscious, fruit-enhanced chocolate cake is desired. The rum-soaked cherries add complexity without overwhelming the chocolate base, making it suitable for those who enjoy intricate flavor pairings.
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- 4 Tbsp butter softened to room temp, unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar white
- 2 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk I used 1%, warm
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder I used one that is a blend of natural and dutched cocoa, dark chocolate
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt fine sea salt
For the Filling:
- 4 cups Cherry fresh, pitted, 1 lb
- 1/2 cup rum I used Bacardi Gold $8/bottle at a liquor store, golden
- 1/4 cup water cold filtered
For the Frosting:
- 2 sticks 1 cup or 16 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temp
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt fine sea salt
- 16 oz cream cheese 2 blocks; softened to room temp and cut into 16 pieces
- 4 Tbsp of the reserved cherry/rum syrup
To Decorate:
- semi-sweet chocolate chips for shaved chocolate
- Cherry fresh, handful, for the top
Instructions
Boozing up your cherries:
- Rinse, drain and pit your 1 lb of cherries. Roughly chop your pitted cherries and place them in a medium bowl with 1/2 cup golden rum. Let sit at room temp for 1 hour then drain cherries in a sieve over a bowl. Keep both the cherries and the syrup.
Making the Chocolate Cake Layers:
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter and flour two, 8-inch cake pans and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together 4 Tbsp soft butter, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat on high speed for 7 min until light and fluffy. Whisk in 1 cup warm milk until smooth.
- Sift together 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa, 1/8 tsp salt, and 2 1/2 tsp baking powder. Fold the sifted mixture into the batter just until combined. Transfer to your prepared cake pans and bake at 350˚F for 30 min or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and once the cakes are cool enough to handle, transfer to wire racks for them to cool completely.
Making the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the 2 sticks of butter with 3 cups powdered sugar and salt on low speed or until combined (1 min) Don't start on high speed or you will be surrounded in a cloud of powdered sugar (lessons learned). Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy (2 min).
- Add cream cheese 1-piece at a time and mix until combined. (I waited maybe 3 seconds in between each piece; it's one after another really. Once all of the cream cheese is incorporated. continue to beat 1 more minute.
- Add 4 Tbsp reserved cherry liquid, 1 Tbsp at a time and mix until combined (1 min). Reserve the remaining cherry syrup. Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.
Assembling the Cake:
- Once you are ready to assemble the cake, slice each of your cake layers in half horizontally into two even layers (Tip: don't slice your layers early or they may dry out). A serrated knife works best. Place one layer cut side up on a cake stand.
- Stir 1/4 cup cold filtered water into the the remaining cherry rum syrup. Generously brush the first cake layer with 1/3 of the cherry rum syrup. Cover the top with frosting and top with 1/3 of the chopped boozy cherries. Repeat with the next three layers but don't put any syrup or frosting over the final layer. Refrigerate your unfrosted cake for 15-20 min to let it rest, then frost the top and sides. Decorate to your heart's delight and serve to the people you love.
Notes
- Allow the cake to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before serving to improve moisture and softness.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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