A moist chocolate cherry cake layered with sour cherries and finished with a light whipped cream frosting. In Ukrainian this dessert is often called “Cherries in Snow” because the cake crumbs used to decorate the outside look like little snowflakes. It’s an excellent use for canned sour cherries in syrup and balances tart fruit with a tender, chocolate cake and a hint of caramel.
This chocolate cherry cake is rich, moist, and not overly sweet—typical of many Eastern European cakes that favor lighter frostings like sour cream or whipped cream rather than heavy American buttercream. If you prefer a slightly healthier chocolate layer, try a whole wheat chocolate cake variation as an alternative to the classic version.
Cherry Chocolate Cake
This chocolate cherry cake delivers a pleasing contrast: soft chocolate layers, juicy sour cherries, and a whipped cream-based frosting that keeps the dessert light. A drizzle of dulce de leche adds a caramel note that pairs beautifully with the tart cherries.
Prep time: about 30 minutes. Cook time: about 25 minutes. Assembling: about 20 minutes. Total time: roughly 1 hour 15 minutes. Servings: around 16 slices.
Equipment
- 10×15-inch jelly roll pan (or two 9-inch round cake pans)
- Electric mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Fine-mesh sieve for cocoa and flour
- Parchment paper or foil and a sharp serrated knife for trimming and slicing
- Piping bag or a large freezer bag (optional)
Ingredients For Chocolate Cherry Cake
- Chocolate Cake: eggs, caster or granulated sugar, sweetened condensed milk (about half a standard can), sour cream, baking soda (dissolved in the sour cream), all-purpose flour, and unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Whipped Frosting: heavy whipping cream, caster sugar, sour cream, and whipped topping (such as thawed whipped topping or similar—this helps stabilize the frosting).
- Toppings: pitted sour cherries in syrup (use the dark, jarred sour cherries in juice, not pie filling or maraschino cherries), and dulce de leche or other caramel sauce to drizzle.
How To Make Cherry Chocolate Cake
- Make the cake batter: Beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is thick, pale, and increased in volume. Add the sweetened condensed milk followed by the sour cream mixed with dissolved baking soda. Combine thoroughly.
- Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, and fold or whisk gently in a single direction until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Pour the batter into a lined and lightly greased 10×15-inch jelly roll pan (or divide between two 9-inch pans). Bake at 350°F (175°C) until set—about 20–25 minutes for a sheet pan. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting: Whip the heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in the sour cream, then gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until combined. Chill briefly if needed to keep the texture stable while assembling.
- Trim and divide: Trim the edges of the cooled cake and reserve those trimmings. Slice the cake horizontally to create two layers. Crumble the reserved trimmings for a crumb garnish.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Brush lightly with a few tablespoons of cherry syrup from the jar to moisten. Spread a layer of pitted sour cherries, then add a generous portion of the whipped cream frosting (about one-third to one-half of the frosting). Drizzle with dulce de leche.
- Top with the second layer and repeat: brush with syrup, add cherries, drizzle more dulce de leche, and finish with the remaining frosting. Frost the sides and press the reserved crumbs onto the sides and top to create the “snowflake” look. Garnish with a few whole cherries on top if desired.
- Chill the assembled cake for at least an hour to set, then slice and serve.
Tips for Serving a Crowd
If you need multiple cakes or want to save layers for later, double the recipe and bake in a larger sheet pan (for example, a 21×15-inch pan). Trim and divide the baked sheet into portions to create two-layer cakes that can be wrapped and frozen for future use. The whipped frosting recipe is generous and will cover a doubled batch nicely.
Because the frosting is cream-based, keep the finished cake refrigerated and serve within a couple of days for best texture and flavor. The balance of tart cherries, tender chocolate cake, and the caramel drizzle makes this dessert a crowd-pleaser that feels special without being overly sweet.
Notes
- Use dark, jarred sour cherries in juice for the best tart flavor. Avoid pie filling or maraschino cherries for this cake.
- Dulce de leche provides a lovely caramel contrast; a quality caramel sauce will work as well.
- The whipped frosting contains a whipped topping to help stabilize it; if you prefer, use a stabilized whipped cream recipe of your choice.
- Nutrition per slice will vary by portion size but expect a moderately rich dessert with both sugars and fats from the condensed milk, cream, and dulce de leche.