Chocolate Cherry Cake (with Cake Mix)
This Chocolate Cherry Cake with cake mix is a simple dessert that couldn’t be easier. The sweet-tart cherries from a can of cherry pie filling add just the right pop of flavor to every fudgy bite.
Kate’s Recipe Rundown
If you love chocolate-covered cherries, this cake is a must-try!
I spotted this Chocolate Cherry Cake recipe in several spiral-bound community cookbooks from the ’70s and ’80s, and it's easy to see why it was so popular. The sweet-tart cherries pair perfectly with the rich chocolate cake, and the warm frosting poured over the top is just like the classic boiled icing from a buttermilk Texas sheet cake.
Thanks to a box of chocolate cake mix, it's incredibly simple to make, and just as delicious as it is nostalgic. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Enjoy! Kate
Jump to:
Ingredients
- A can of cherry pie filling acts as part of the liquid for the cake, along with the eggs. It may not sound like enough wet ingredients but I promise you, it is! The batter will be thicker than a typical cake batter.
- I like using Duncan Hines cake mix for classic recipes like this. It has 15.25 ounces in it, which is closer to the amount of cake mix (18 ounces) when recipes like this were developed. Some brands today only have 13.25 ounces! This Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake is another great blast-from-the-past cake mix recipe, and you can find 25 cakes made with a box of cake mix here too!
- Almond extract brings out the cherry flavor even more. Don’t skip it!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below and we'll send it straight to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes each week!
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Cake with Cake mix
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then add the cherry pie filling, almond extract, and cake mix.
- Spread the batter into a 13×9-inch pan, and bake for 30-32 minutes at 350°F.
- Bring the milk, butter, and sugar to a boil, and boil for one minute. Take off the heat and stir in the chocolate chips until melted.
- Quickly pour the hot icing over the warm baked cake. Let cool.
Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Cherry Cake
- The beauty of this cake is that you can frost it right when it gets out of the oven. In fact, I recommend it. Be sure the cake is still hot so the icing glides over it and sets nicely. It’ll have a nice sheen on top once the icing cools.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing it. Otherwise, the icing will be runny.
- Don’t skip the almond extract! There’s just something about almonds that brings out the cherry flavor even more.
- I absolutely loved this cake with a scoop of ice cream on top. I splurged on a pint of Jeni’s brown butter almond brittle since we had guests over. Vanilla or butter pecan would be delicious, too.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Cherry Cake Recipe
This classic chocolate cherry cake combines cake mix, cherry pie filling, and a fudge-like frosting for a nostalgic treat.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)
- 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9-inch dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 eggs. Stir in 1 box chocolate cake mix , 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling, and 1 teaspoon almond extract until smooth.
- Pour into the greased dish, and bake for 30-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- As soon as the cake gets out of the oven, place 5 tablespoons butter, 1 cup sugar, and ⅓ cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips until melted.
- Immediately pour the frosting over the warm cake and tilt the pan until the entire cake is coated. Don't use a spatula to spread it, which can cause the frosting to not set as smoothly.
- Let cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
Don’t skip the almond extract! It’s important for bringing out the cherry flavor in the cake.
Make sure to frost the cake soon after removing it from the oven, and NOT after it cools. Frosting a warm cake is the key to a smooth and shiny frosting on top.
A scoop of ice cream on top is a great idea for serving!
Store any leftover cake at room temperature or in the fridge, tightly covered, for several days. You can also freeze the cake for several months.
Nutrition
Calories: 363kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 4gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 312mgPotassium: 226mgFiber: 2gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 205IUVitamin C: 0.003mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 3mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment!
This recipe is everything you said. Perfectly easy to make and delicious. Love the glaze to top it off. Will make often!
Thank you for your kind review, Donna!
Can the frosting be made with milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet?
Yes!
I love the flavors of chocolate and cherry and this recipe did not disappoint. I did not make any changes. The cake was so moist and the frosting was like creamy fudge. SO DELICIOUS! And it was so easy to make. Can’t wait to make it again.
Thank you for your kind review, Lisa!
Can you make cupcakes out of this?
I haven’t tried it but that should work just fine! Same oven temp of 350°F, cupcakes typically take 20–24 minutes.
My grandson’s favorite. Always delicious and so easy to whip together.
Thanks for your review, Pam!
I am currently making this recipe just to see what it’s like. I have a request for a three layer wedding cake. I want to know if this would hold up well enough for me to stack it three layers high and frost it for a wedding?
Hi Mary, I haven’t tried it as a layer cake. It is a relatively soft cake so I’m unsure if it will hold up. Let me know if you try it that way!