This chocolate cherry cake is a moist chocolate cake that’s made with cherry pie filling. It’s easy to make, with boxed cake mix, and topped with a thick and fudgy chocolate frosting!
Easy Chocolate Cherry Cake
If you love chocolate cake, you’re going to love this fruity recipe! Boxed chocolate cake mix is mixed together with a can of cherry pie filling to make a decadent cherry chocolate cake recipe.
The best part about this box chocolate cake mix recipe (aside from the flavor!) is how easy it is to make. Because we’re using a store-bought cake mix, this recipe comes together in a few steps. Then you throw it in the oven for about 45 minutes.
There are also two kinds of chocolate in this chocolate frosting recipe. Melted chocolate and cocoa powder give this recipe all of its chocolatey flavor.
Once the frosting is done, you’ll spread a thick layer over the cooled cake. I liked to use all the frosting in this recipe on the cake because I love all the frosting, but you can decide how much you want to frost and save the rest in the refrigerator for another recipe if you want.
Top your cake with chocolate chips or extra cherries! Then cut them into squares and serve immediately.
Chocolate Cherry Cake Ingredients
This box cake mix recipe couldn’t be simpler to make! Here’s everything you’ll need to make this super easy chocolate cake with cherry pie filling:
- Boxed chocolate cake mix
- Cherry pie filling
- Eggs
- Almond extract
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Unsalted butter
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Whole milk
- Light corn syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Cake
The key thing to remember when making this box chocolate cake mix recipe is that you do NOT mix together the chocolate mix like it instructs on the packaging. Instead, follow these instructions:
- Stir together the cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs, egg yolk and vanilla. Then, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the cake batter into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan and bake.
- Once the cherry cake has cooled completely, make the homemade chocolate frosting.
- Frost the cake and top with additional chocolate chips or sprinkles.
Can I Use Another Type of Canned Pie Filling?
I bet that would be delicious! I feel like any canned fruit pie filling would work in place of the cherry pie filling. If you use another type of pie filling in this easy chocolate cake recipe, please leave a comment below telling us how it turned out!
Can I Use Another Flavor of Boxed Cake Mix?
As long as you buy a 15-ounce boxed cake mix, this cherry cake recipe should turn out okay. I imagine you’d need to stick with “regular” cake mixes (i.e. plain yellow, white, or chocolate cake) and avoid specialty cake mixes, like angel food cake. I’ve only made this recipe with chocolate cake mix, so I can’t say for certain.
How to Store Chocolate Cherry Cake
You can also store the cake at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. If you want to make it really far in advance, you can make the cake and freeze it for up to 2-3 months, then let it defrost and frost it once it’s ready to serve.
Tips for Making Chocolate Cherry Cake
Be sure not to add more almond extract than the box cake mix recipe below calls for. Almond extract can quickly overwhelm the other flavors in this chocolate cherry cake, so be careful!
The key to a smooth and creamy frosting is whipping the butter for the full amount of time. You’ll want to beat the butter for 2-3 minutes until it gets light and fluffy. Once you add the powdered sugar you’re going to do the same thing! The longer you beat the frosting, the more air is incorporated and the more fluffy it will be.
Once you take it out you’ll want to make sure the cake is completely cool before you start frosting it. Otherwise you’ll end up with melty frosting all over the place!
More EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPES:
- Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
- Peppermint Chocolate Snack Cake
- Fudgy Peanut Butter Brownie Cake
- Wacky Chocolate Cake
- Simple Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- ALL OF OUR CAKE RECIPES!
Chocolate Cherry Cake
Chocolate Cherry Cake
Description
Ingredients
- 1-15 ounce box chocolate cake mix
- 1-21 ounce can cherry pie filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks , (or chocolate chips)
Frosting:
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, , melted and cooled
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, , softened to room temperature
- 3-4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- Combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs, egg yolk, and almond extract.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
- Pour in prepared baking pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Once cooled, make the frosting. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the butter on high speed until light and fluffy, for 2-3 full minutes.
- On low speed, gradually add the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder and beat for another 2-3 minutes.
- Then add the melted chocolate, followed by the milk, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. Beat for 1 minute.
- Then turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat for 3 full minutes.
- Frost cooled cake and top with sprinkles.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
- Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
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Kelly
Should step number 3 be add almond extract??
Sweet Basil
Yes, thank you! I have updated the recipe card. Thank you so much for bringing that to our attention!
Kathrin
I googled for a chocolate cake mix with cherries and this is what popped up. Wow! It turned out great! I made it for a friend’s birthday cake and wanted it to be a little dressier than a sheet cake so I baked it in a bundt cake pan. I looked up the timing based on bundt cakes and found 40 to 45 min. I checked after 40 and decided to let it go for the full 45 hoping that would help it release from the pan. I let it cool for 10 min, turned it over, and it fell right out! Perfect!! I put a caramel glaze on it.
This is my new go to birthday cake! I am making a second one less than a week later! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
You’re a winner Kathrin! I love that you improvised and made it your own. Thank you so much for feedback and for sharing your tips for converting this into a bundt!
Abby
In the picture this looks like a sheet cake thickness. Same for your lemon poppyseed cake. 9×13 Is the correct size right?
Sweet Basil
Yes, 9×13 is the right size!
Marlene
Made recipe for chocolate cherry cake, but made cupcakes instead of sheet cake. It was very good-moist & great chocolate flavor. Was very disappointed, however, with frosting recipe. It had a curdled appearance & no amount of beating, addition of more milk or confectioners sugar could resolve that appearance. It was more pronounced as I tried to pipe it thru a decorator bag. Will not use this recipe again. A plain chocolate butter cream using butter, cocoa & confectioners sugar produces a much better texture & is equally tasty.
Sweet Basil
That has happened to me if I’m too impatient to let the butter come to room temperature. A chocolate butter cream would be delicious too!
Stephanie
I couldn’t resist making this for a birthday along with your mason jar strawberry frozen yogurt cheesecake as the “ice cream”! They were both a huge hit and were still great a few days later. I followed the cake recipe as written and it turned out perfectly. The cherries made a moist special surprise in each bite. I thought we would throw some away because it makes a generous sized cake but day after day it slowly disappeared with everyone taking some until it was gone. I think its a lot of caffeine and chocolate for a youngster so we scraped off much of the icing for them but it was still a huge hit! Thanks for sharing these recipes! I will make it again it was perfect for a special occasion and easy enough to make. Delicious!
Diana
We have been making this cake for ages!! Love it, it is so moist!!!
Sweet Basil
It’s so good!