Description
This Irresistible Cherry Garcia Chocolate Cherry Cake Delight combines moist French vanilla layers studded with cherries and chocolate chips, layered with luscious cherry and vanilla frostings, and finished with a decorative touch of mini chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, and Maraschino cherries for a stunning and delicious dessert that’s perfect for celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 boxes French vanilla cake mix
- 2 cups Whole milk
- 1 cup Unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 6 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups Chopped Maraschino cherries
- 2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cherry Frosting Ingredients
- 2 cups Unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 4 cups Powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons Cherry extract
- 3-6 drops Red gel food coloring (adjust for desired hue)
Vanilla Frosting Ingredients
- 3 cups Unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 6 cups Powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 3-6 tablespoons Heavy whipping cream (to adjust consistency)
Decoration
- 1 cup Mini chocolate chips
- Chocolate shaving sprinkles
- 1/2 cup Maraschino cherries with stem (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray three round cake pans with baking spray to ensure the cakes don’t stick.
- Mix Cake Batter: Combine all the cake ingredients — cake mix, whole milk, softened butter, eggs, and vanilla extract — in a standing mixer and beat until well combined and smooth.
- Fold in Cherries and Chocolate: Gently fold in the chopped Maraschino cherries and semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter, taking care not to overmix.
- Divide Batter: Evenly divide the batter among the three prepared cake pans to ensure uniform baking.
- Bake the Cakes: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the counter before frosting.
- Prepare Cherry Frosting: Beat together the softened butter, powdered sugar, cherry extract, and red gel food coloring for 5-7 minutes until light, fluffy, and evenly colored.
- Prepare Vanilla Frosting: In a separate bowl, beat softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy whipping cream for 5-7 minutes until creamy and smooth. Adjust cream quantity to achieve desired consistency.
- Reserve Decoration Frosting: Scoop 1 ½ cups of the vanilla frosting into a piping bag and set aside for decorating later.
- Level Cake Layers: Trim the tops of the cooled cake rounds if necessary to create even layers for stacking.
- Layer Cake with Cherry Frosting: Place one cake round flat-side up on your cake board and spread 1 ½ cups of cherry frosting evenly over the surface.
- Add Middle Cake Layer: Place the second cake round on top of the frosted layer, pressing down gently to secure.
- Spread More Cherry Frosting: Spread another 1 ½ cups of cherry frosting over the second cake layer.
- Top with Final Layer: Place the last cake round on top to complete the cake stack.
- Frost Entire Cake: Using the remaining vanilla frosting, cover the entire cake smoothly to seal in the layers.
- Decorate Base: Press mini chocolate chips around the base of the frosted cake for a decorative border.
- Pipe Frosting Dollops: Using the reserved piping bag, pipe dollops of vanilla frosting along the top edge of the cake.
- Add Chocolate Shavings: Sprinkle chocolate shaving sprinkles onto the frosting dollops to add texture and elegance.
- Top with Maraschino Cherries: Place Maraschino cherries with stems atop each frosting dollop for a classic and beautiful finish.
- Serve: Slice the cake and enjoy the perfect blend of cherry and chocolate in every bite!
Notes
- Make sure to fully cool the cake layers before frosting to avoid melting or sliding frosting.
- Adjust red gel food coloring drops to achieve your preferred cherry-red hue in the frosting.
- You can substitute cherries with fresh if Maraschino cherries are unavailable, though flavor will vary.
- For best results, use room temperature butter for frosting to enable smooth beating and spreading.
- Use a serrated knife and steady hand to level cake layers evenly.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Allow refrigerated cake to come to room temperature before serving for best taste and texture.
