Drunken Chocolate Cherry Cake is one of those delicious cakes that takes a little effort but once you taste it you will know it was worth every second in the kitchen. This recipe is simple and decadent!
If you like cherry but want something a bit lighter, you may enjoy making our homemade cherry Jello cake recipe for your family.
This recipe was originally posted December 15, 2015, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
Drunken Chocolate Cherry Cake Recipe
Rum soaked cherries, chocolate buttercream, and chocolate cake crumbles are the key ingredients of a drunken chocolate cherry cake. This cake is one of the most highly requested cakes at parties. It has such a luxurious flavor that has you reaching for seconds the moment you finish your last bite.
The rum soaked cherries give the cake a slight tartness and a nice kick the really compliments all the chocolatey goodness. I have to admit, this cake is quite time-consuming. But it’s so worth it. Keep in mind, this recipe calls for a 12 inch round baking pan. I know it’s quite large, but it’s a party cake, which means lots of people. Even if it doesn’t get eaten all at once, you can keep it in the freezer instead of the fridge. It will last a lot longer and I actually kind of like eating it partially frozen, It’s quite refreshing.
Ingredients for Chocolate Cherry Cake Recipe
For measurements and complete directions see the printable recipe below.
Sour Cherries
Sugar
Rum
Cocoa Powder
Flour
Eggs
Milk
Butter
How to Make Rum Soaked Cherries
Combine cherries, sugar, and rum into an airtight container and shake well. Leave refrigerated for up to 3 days.
How to Prepare the Chocolate Cherry Cake
Sift dry ingredients together and set aside as directed. Prepare eggs by beating until foamy then adding in sugar as directed. Heat egg mixture while beating as directed ensuring they do not get too hot. Once the mixture is doubled in volume, add in dry ingredients carefully. Pour mixture into baking pan and bake as directed. After the cake has cooked through, allow it to cool, and follow directions for removing the inside cake layer to create a shell.
How to make Chocolate Buttercream Filling
Heat eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, and milk as directed until the mixture thickens. Be careful to not allow eggs to boil or overheat as they will scramble. Allow this mixture to cool down. Next, beat together butter and sugar until it becomes fluffy. Strain cherries you have been soaking and add the liquid into the butter and sugar mixture until well combined. Finally, you will combine both mixtures until just combined.
How to Assemble a Drunken Chocolate Cherry Cake
How to Assemble a Drunken Chocolate Cherry CakeUsing the cake crumbs you removed from the cake shell, blend into the chocolate buttercream mixture. Next, you will fold in your strained cherries to combine. Fill the cake shell with this mixture being careful to not damage the sides of the cake. Top with my chocolate ganache recipe prior to serving.
Display this drunken chocolate cherry cake with a chocolate ganache coating and a few sprigs of greenery and some sugared cherries.
Use a bit of melted chocolate piped onto the top in the shape of twigs to create a pretty presentation.
More Decadent Dessert Recipes
My drunken chocolate cherry cake is worth every minute it takes to create. Alongside this, I love serving some of the other delicious dessert ideas linked below.
- Almond Pear Tart Recipe
- Homemade Kiev Cake Recipe
- Chocolate Honey Spartak Cake Recipe
- White Chocolate Almond Lace Florentine Cookies
- Honey Raspberry Cake Recipe
Full Recipe Instructions
Drunken Chocolate Cherry Cake
Ingredients
- Rum soaked cherries:
- 3 cups pitted sour cherries
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup rum or cognac
- Cake:
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups flour
- 10 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- Cream:
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 sticks butter 2 cups
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
Instructions
- Fill a mason jar with 3 cups of drained sour cherries. Add 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup rum and close the duo tightly. Shake vigorously until all the ingredients are well mixed. Let it sit in the fridge for 2-3 days making sure to shake the jar occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
- Sift 3/4 cup cocoa powder and 2 cups of flour together. Then set aside.
- In a large heatproof bowl, beat 10 eggs on high speed with a handheld mixer. Mix until the eggs become foamy, then add in 2 1/2 cups sugar. Keep mixing for another 5 minutes.
- Transfer the bowl of beaten eggs and sugar on top of a pot with about 1 inch of simmering water (double boiler).
- Keep the pot over low heat and constantly mix the mixture with an electric mixer. About 10-15 minutes. It should double in volume.
- Gently fold in the cocoa and flour mixture using a whisk.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased 12 inch round baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes and 320 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-50 minutes. Flip the cake onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely. I usually let it cool overnight.
- Using a serrated knife, slice off the top of the cake. Then run a knife along the edge of the cake leaving about 1/4 inch of the rim. You can leave less, that’s even better, but there’s always a risk of having it fall apart if it’s too thin.
- Once the cake is cut around the edge, remove all of the insides, crumble it up and set aside. Leave about 1/4 inch at the bottom as well. You should end up with a hollow cake or a “cake shell”.
- For the cream:
- In a saucepan lightly beat 4 eggs with 1/2 cup of sugar. Then whisk in 1/2 cup cocoa powder. And add 1/2 cup milk.
- Place the saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Do NOT let the egg mixture boil or else you will end up with chocolate scrambled eggs.
- While the chocolate mixture is cooling down, beat 4 sticks of softened butter with 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat until the butter becomes light in color and fluffy.
- Strain all the liquid out of the rum soaked cherries and slowly pour the rum liquid into the whipped butter while the mixture is on medium speed. Make sure to pour very slowly to prevent the butter from separating.
- Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the whipped butter and mix just to combine.
- Take all of the cake crumbs and blend it into the chocolatey butter using the paddle attachment on medium high speed. Then add in the strained cherries and mix just to combine.
- Fill the cake shell with the chocolate butter and crumbled cake mixture. Be very gentle when filling the cake. Support the sides of the cake as you press the filling in. Smooth it out with a flat decorating spatula to give it a clean finished look.
- At this point you can leave it as is or coat it with a chocolate ganache. For the ganache on this cake is used 16 oz milk chocolate, 8 tbsp butter, 8 tbsp honey, and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.
Nutrition
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Vita says
The cake had great structure and strength for so much filling but overall the cake is WAY TOO SWEET. I love sweet dessert but this was way over the top, let alone I cut out 2 cups of sugar total from the recipe already because so much sugar in one cake is not good. I love and have made so many of your recipes but this one needs a makeover big time. I made the chocolate sponge with only 1.5 cups of sugar and it still held great shape. I soaked the cherries with 1/4 of a cup of sugar, the eggs for the cream with 1/4 cup of sugar and the cream with 1 cup. With these changes the cake was still unbearably sweet and could use a substantial reduction.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Vita, I’m sorry to hear the cake was too sweet for you. I have never had this brought to my attention regarding this cake. I guess its just one of those things that may vary from each person’s tastebuds. I hope are able to enjoy this cake again with a reduction in sugar.
Ri says
Thank s for the fast reply
simplyhomecooked says
My pleasure Ri 🙂
Ri says
Hi, Dina. At first, I was glad that I found the recipe without sweetened condensed milk. But when I read entire recipe, I became concerned about the sugar content:5 CUPS of SUGAR in one cake and plus to this the cherries were in light syrup and 8 Tbsp. honey in the ganache.
My question is: “Can this amount of sugar be reduced in half?”
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Ri, Its a fairly large cake, so the amount of sugar may be more than a standard 9-10 inch cake. It’s actually surprisingly not a very sweet cake at all. I wouldn’t recommend cutting the sugar in half because I’m afraid it won’t be sweet at all. I hope you give this recipe a try. And please let me know how it turns out 🙂
Galina says
Dina, I made this cake before and it was AMAZING! I will be making it again very soon for a Christmas new years party! Thanks for sharing!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for sharing your kind feedback, Galina! I appreciate it so much!
Tanya says
I really like decoration on your cake how did you do The red snowy balls?
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Tanya, those are actually artificial candied cranberries 🙂
irina khoma says
I’ve made this cake so may times lol. It’s really delicious. Everyone loves it! 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
That’s awesome Irina!
Anna says
Dina, I never ventured out to make this but Galina made this labor of love several weeks ago and it was so delicious! Even the presentation looked similar to yours. Everyone really like it!
simplyhomecooked says
I heard she made it for a party with the girls. She sent me a photo and it looked amazing. So glad you all enjoyed it!
Tati says
Wow! Definitely one of the best drunken cherry cakes I have ever tasted, and your presentation was on point. I made it a little less drunk (just personal preference), but other than that I followed the recipe almost exactly, and everyone loved it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
simplyhomecooked says
So glad you gave this recipe a try Tati! Thanks for the wonderful review 🙂
Marina | Let the Baking Begin! says
I love this cake! I’ve never had it but it looks like it would be amazing!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Marina! Its one of my favorites 🙂
Marina says
Wow this is such a beautiful cake. I used to make using a similar recipe, yours looks much better though. I’ll have to make it for new years party for sure!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Marina, you’re so kind. Can’t wait for you to give this cake a try 🙂
Anna says
This looks amazing! I have never tried this cake but it reminds me of “belochka” because of the technique. I hope to venture out of my comfort zone with this one day 😉
simplyhomecooked says
Lol Anna you’re funny 🙂 and thank you! I plan to make the belochka cake soon!
Yelena says
Wow! Dina you are such a talented young lady. I am impressed! Will bake this cake on holidays for sure.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Yelena 🙂 I am so excited for you to try my recipe!
Katy | Her Cup of Joy says
This cake looks so beautiful! Your photography is perfect:) I love this type of cake, it would be perfect for Christmas.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Katy! You’re so kind 🙂 This is one of my favorite cakes as well 🙂