Chocolate Cherry Cake

This quick-to-make moist, fudgy, dairy-free chocolatey cake is loaded with fresh cherries and chocolate chips. It tastes incredible and requires no special equipment to make!

Chocolate and cherry is an interesting combination; some hate it, and some love it. As you probably guessed, I’m a member of the latter group. I love the twist of cherries in this cake, and the addition of chocolate chips makes it absolutely irresistible!

How to make chocolate cherry cake

1. Start by mixing the cocoa powder with hot water. This step helps to deepen the chocolate flavor and make the cake fudgier. Let it cool just slightly until warm.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix together the wet ingredients. Whisk together eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and water-cocoa mixture.
4. Combine together. Add egg mixture into flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula just until combined. Do not overmix—the less you mix, the lighter the cake will be.
5. In a small bowl toss cherries with 2 teaspoons flour in order to prevent cherries from sinking during baking.
6. Add cherries and chocolate chips to cake batter and fold just until combined.
7. Bake. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F/180°C or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (repeat testing if your toothpick runs into a cherry). Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

Note: I used oil to keep the cake moist for longer, but you can replace half of it with 50g of melted unsalted butter for flavor if you prefer. However, this cake is already so flavorful that I don’t find it necessary.

What kind of cherries should I use?

Different kinds of cherries work well, and I especially love how sour cherries taste with the chocolate. Fresh cherries are the best option, but you could also use frozen. If so, use them straight from the freezer, without thawing, mixing them with some flour and then immediately folding them into the batter. Canned cherries can also be used as long as you make sure to drain them well and dry them with paper towels, or else the juices will seep into the cake and affect its texture and taste.

Tips for making chocolate cherry cake

• Top the cake with chocolate ganache. To make the cake extra rich, top it with chocolate ganache once it has cooled.
• This cake tastes best a day after it’s made. After a day, the chocolate cake has had time to absorb the cherry flavor, so it’s a good make-ahead cake. However, it still tastes amazing on that first day, so feel free to dig in on the first chance you get.
• To make a bigger batch, multiply the recipe by 1.5 and use a 13×9-inch pan. You may need to bake the cake a few minutes longer.
• This cake is also delicious as muffins! For chocolate cherry muffins, fill muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full and bake for 13-20 minutes at 350°F/180°C.

More of my favorite cakes

• Chocolate Nutella Cake: Made with rich and creamy Nutella and milk chocolate chunks.
• Mom’s Honey Cake: Bursting with honey flavor and warm, autumn spices.
• Lemon Bundt Cake: Topped with lemon syrup and sticky lemon glaze.
• Poppy Seed Cake: Made with fresh orange juice, orange zest, and shredded coconut, this is not your typical poppy seed cake.
• Strawberry Champagne Cake: Light and delicate vanilla sponge cake soaked in champagne syrup, layered with strawberry jam and whipped champagne mascarpone cream.

4.89 from 9 votes

Chocolate Cherry Cake (dairy-free)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

YIELD: 8 -inch cake*

 

An incredibly rich, moist, and dairy-free chocolate cake made with juicy cherries. The flavors are unbelievable and no special equipment is required! Top it with chocolate ganache and you'll be in chocolate cake heaven.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) hot water
• 1/3 cup (30g) cocoa powder
• 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable/canola oil**
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (230g/8 oz) fresh cherries, pitted and halved (for other options, read above post)***
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chunks

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C and grease an 8×8-inch pan.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together hot water and cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside to let cool slightly until warm.
3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another medium bowl, mix together eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and water-cocoa mixture. Add egg mixture into flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula just until combined. Do not overmix—the less you mix, the lighter the cake will be.
5. In a small bowl toss cherries with 2 teaspoons flour in order to prevent cherries from sinking during baking. Add cherries and chocolate chips to cake batter and fold just until combined.
6. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (repeat testing if your toothpick runs into a cherry). Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
7. Dust the top with powdered sugar or top with chocolate ganache. Serve at room temperature.
8. Cake can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Recipe Notes

*To make a bigger cake, multiply the recipe by 1.5 and use a 13×9-inch pan. You may need to bake the cake a few minutes longer.

**I used oil to keep the cake moist for longer, but you can replace half of it with 50g melted butter for flavor if you prefer. However, this cake is already so flavorful that I don’t find it necessary.

***Fresh sour cherries are my favorite option, but you can use any type of fresh cherries you like as well as frozen or canned. If using frozen, use them straight from the freezer, without thawing, mixing them with some flour and then immediately folding them into the batter. Canned cherries can also be used as long as you make sure to drain them well and dry them with paper towels, or else the juices will seep into the cake and affect its texture and taste.