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Chocolate Cherry Cake with Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting - Pro Mastery Guide For Baking - Beginner To Pro - Best Tips For Baking

Chocolate Cherry Cake with Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting

A rich, decadent chocolate layer cake studded with fresh cherries, filled with thick cherry pie filling, and frosted with a molasses cream cheese frosting. The ultimate birthday cake for chocolate and cherry lovers
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Basics, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chocolate Cherry Cake
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 16 oz fresh or frozen cherries, chopped and drained
For the Cherry Filling
  • 8 oz fresh or frozen cherries, thawed if frozen
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ tbsp cornstarch
For the Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 12 oz cream cheese, cold
  • 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp molasses
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • gel food coloring of choice (optional)

Method
 

Make the Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans or line the bottoms with parchment paper
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract, then the eggs one at a time, until the mixture is smooth
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pour the lemon juice into the milk and set aside — it will curdle slightly, creating a quick sour milk
  4. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour milk to the butter mixture in several additions, mixing until just combined and the batter is smooth
  5. In a small bowl, stir the cocoa powder into the boiling water until smooth and dissolved like hot chocolate. Beat the chocolate mixture into the cake batter, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl
  6. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Sprinkle half the chopped, well-drained cherries over each pan. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cherries into the batter
  7. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks
Make the Cherry Filling
  1. Place the cherries in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook until they release enough juice to almost cover themselves
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk into the cherries and bring to a boil
  3. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until the sauce thickens to an almost jelly-like consistency — when you scrape a spoon across the bottom of the pan it should take a few seconds for the cherries to fill back in
  4. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before assembling the cake
Make the Frosting
  1. Beat the cold cream cheese, softened butter, molasses, and vanilla extract together until just combined
  2. Add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally. Add gel food coloring if desired
Assemble the Cake
  1. If the cake layers have domed in the center, carefully level them with a serrated knife
  2. Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake board. Fill a piping bag or zip-lock bag with about 1 cup of frosting and pipe a dam around the outer edge of the cake layer
  3. Spread the cooled cherry filling evenly inside the dam
  4. Place the second cake layer on top. Frost the outside of the cake as desired — a shell border around the base and stars around the top edge work beautifully. Refrigerate until ready to serve

Notes

Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the chopped cherries before folding them into the batter — excess moisture can affect the bake. The cherry filling should be thick enough to hold between the layers without soaking into the cake; drain off any excess liquid before spreading. The molasses cream cheese frosting is delicious on its own but the author notes that a classic chocolate or vanilla buttercream may pair better with the chocolate cherry combination. If using cream cheese frosting, keep it cold until just before piping as it softens quickly. Store finished cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days