Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
- ½ cup oil
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 cup hot water (not boiling)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cherry Topping Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen pitted dark sweet cherries (16 ounces)
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup cherry liqueur
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Whipped Cream Topping Ingredients
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional, for stiffer whipped cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decoration
- Chocolate shavings
- Fresh cherries or other cherry toppings
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan thoroughly and set it aside to prepare your cake batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the room temperature buttermilk and oil until smooth and blended.
- Add Eggs: Whisk in the eggs one at a time to the wet mixture, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually stir the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Add Hot Water and Vanilla: Add the hot water (not boiling) and vanilla extract, whisking until the batter is smooth and all ingredients are well integrated.
- Pour Batter & Bake: Pour the prepared batter into the greased baking dish, spreading evenly. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare Cherry Topping: While the cake bakes, combine the frozen cherries, water, cherry liqueur, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to simmer on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes until the cherries soften and the liquid thickens. Break cherries into smaller pieces using a spoon or potato masher. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Add a little extra water if the topping thickens too much upon cooling.
- Make Whipped Cream Topping: As the cherry topping cools, prepare your whipped cream. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, cream of tartar (if using), and vanilla extract. Whisk on medium-high speed for 4 to 7 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble the Cake: Once the cake is fully cooled, carefully remove it from the baking pan and place it on a serving platter. Evenly spread the cherry topping over the cake surface.
- Add Whipped Cream and Decorate: Generously spoon or pipe the whipped cream over the cherry layer. Decorate the top with chocolate shavings, fresh cherries, maraschino cherries, or additional cherry toppings for a festive finish.
Notes
- Make sure both the eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature before mixing to help the batter mix more evenly.
- If cherry liqueur is unavailable or preferred to omit, substitute with additional water or cherry juice for a non-alcoholic version.
- For stiffer whipped cream, cream of tartar is optional but helps stabilize the peaks.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the cherry and whipped cream toppings to prevent melting.
- Chocolate shavings can be made by scraping a block of dark chocolate with a vegetable peeler.
- This cake is best served the same day for optimal freshness but can be refrigerated overnight.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
- Diet: Vegetarian
