Life gets crazy, right? Sometimes you just crave that deep, dark, comforting taste of chocolate, but you look at the clock and realize you only have about an hour before dinner needs serving. Don’t reach for that stale box mix! I developed this Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake recipe out of pure necessity one Tuesday afternoon when a chocolate craving hit hard and fast. Trust me, this comes together faster than most quick breads, yet it tastes like you spent the whole afternoon wrestling with eggs and butter. The moisture level in this cake is unreal, thanks to a few little tricks, and that hint of cherry just makes the chocolate pop. It’s my go-to when time is tight, and it never fails to impress.
Why This Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake Recipe Works So Fast
The real beauty of this dessert is that it’s designed to be utterly straightforward. We aren’t creaming butter for ten minutes or waiting for ingredients to come to room temperature. Nope! This is a dump-and-mix situation that gets us eating cake faster than you can say ‘chocolate coma.’ Since the wet and dry ingredients get tossed together without fuss, there’s minimal risk of overmixing, which keeps everything tender. This Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake really delivers on its promise when you’re short on time.
I can usually have the batter ready to go into the oven in just 15 minutes flat, and we’re talking about having a beautiful layered cake ready to eat in about 45 minutes total. You just can’t beat that speed for such a rich flavor profile.
Key Details for Your Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
Transparency is everything when you’re relying on a quick recipe. This one comes together fast and yields plenty for a small gathering. We get about 12 generous slices out of the two layers. Prep time is super short, and honestly, the total time—from starting to mixing to pulling it out of the oven—is usually right around 45 minutes.
Essential Ingredients for Your Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
When you’re aiming for speed, you don’t want to mess around with fancy components that need tending. Thankfully, most of these ingredients are pantry staples, making this Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake accessible any day of the week! We’re building a foundation of intense chocolate flavor and then adding that beautiful, unexpected cherry moisture.
Here’s what you’ll need to gather up:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder—don’t skimp here, it needs to be real cocoa!
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water or hot brewed coffee—this is key for the flavor!
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained well
Seriously, the hot coffee just deepens that chocolate taste until it’s practically sinful. And those cherries? They bring the moisture and the color! If, down the road, you decide you want to make a simple syrup for, say, soaking the layers a bit more, you can check out my favorite recipe for that over simple syrup—but for this cake, we’re okay!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for the Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
Okay, so maybe you don’t keep buttermilk hanging around, which happens to me all the time! Don’t worry, we can make a quick substitute right now so you don’t have to run to the store. Just take one cup of regular milk—any kind will do—and stir in one tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Let it sit on the counter for about five minutes until it looks a little curdled. That’s your homemade buttermilk, perfect for this Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake.
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
Getting this cake into the oven is the easy part, truly! First things first, get your oven dialed in to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Don’t skip greasing and flouring those two 9-inch round pans—a clean release means a pretty, intact cake later! Remember, we’re aiming for that quick bake, so having everything ready is vital.
Next, we toss all the dry stuff—that’s the flour, cocoa, sugar, leaveners, and salt—into a big bowl. Whisker it around until everything looks uniform. Then, you’re going to add your eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla right into that dry mix. Hit it with the electric mixer on medium speed for a full two minutes. It should look thick-ish at this point, but wait for the magic to happen!
This is where most people get nervous, but stay with me. You need to carefully stir in that hot water or, like I prefer, hot brewed coffee. Then, pour in that beautiful, bright red maraschino cherry juice. Seriously, the batter will look alarmingly thin—like soup! Don’t panic; that’s exactly what keeps your Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake so incredibly moist. Just stir until it’s *just* combined. Don’t over-whisk this stage!
Finally, gently fold in those chopped cherries. You don’t want to beat them to death. Pour the thin batter evenly between your prepared pans. They go straight into the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes. Test it with a wooden pick—if it comes out clean, bingo! Let them cool in the pans for just 10 minutes before you turn them out onto a rack. If you’re looking for another surprisingly simple chocolate fix, you absolutely must check out my zucchini chocolate brownies recipe sometime!
Tips for a Perfectly Moist Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
The secret weapon here, besides the cherry juice, is that final hot liquid. Using hot water or coffee ‘blooms’ the cocoa powder, releasing way more chocolate flavor than cold liquids ever could. Also, remember I said not to overmix after adding the liquid? That thin batter is your friend! Over-whisking when it’s this wet develops the gluten too much, and you’ll end up with a rubbery texture instead of the delightfully tender crumb you want in this Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake.
Serving Suggestions for Your Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
Once this gorgeous cake is cooled down, it really doesn’t need much fuss, which is perfect for a quick dessert, right? If you’re serving it plain, it’s still fantastic—the cherry juice baked in does most of the heavy lifting flavor-wise. But if you want to dress it up just a tiny bit, keep it simple.
I adore pairing a slice warm with a tiny scoop of vanilla bean ice cream; the cold creaminess against the slightly warm, fudgy chocolate is just heavenly. Another great option is to drizzle a little homemade fruit sauce over the top. It pulls the cherry notes out nicely. You can find my absolute favorite recipe for a bright strawberry sauce if you want something vibrant!
Storage and Reheating Your Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
Luckily, because this Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake is already so wonderfully moist from that cherry juice, it keeps quite well! Once you’ve frosted it—or even if you’re just stacking the layers—you want to seal it up tight. I wrap the entire cooled cake snugly in plastic wrap first, then slide it into an airtight container. This keeps out any rogue fridge smells and locks in all that moisture we worked so hard to achieve.
It should stay lovely on the counter for a day or two, or in the fridge for up to four days. If you want to reheat a slice? Trust me on this: a quick 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave brings back that just-baked tenderness. It’s the best way to enjoy leftovers!
Troubleshooting Common Issues with Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake Baking
Even with a recipe this straightforward, sometimes things go a little sideways, and that’s okay! If your layers come out a little sunken in the middle, nine times out of ten, it means either your leavening agents (baking soda/powder) are old, or you accidentally opened the oven door too early while it was still setting up. We want to keep that heat steady!
If your cake seems dry, the culprit is almost always overbaking. Remember that hot liquid makes the batter thin, and it bakes fast. Always pull it when the pick has moist crumbs, not when it comes out totally clean and bone-dry. It will continue to cook slightly once pulled from the oven, too!
Frequently Asked Questions About Making a Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
Can I skip the hot water or coffee? It seems weird to add hot liquid to cake batter.
I totally get why that seems strange! But honestly, no, you really shouldn’t skip it for this chocolate recipe. The heat ‘blooms’ the cocoa powder, making the chocolate flavor so much richer and deeper than if you used cold milk. If you absolutely can’t use coffee, just use plain hot water, but that coffee really elevates the whole experience without making it taste like a mocha!
What is the best way to frost this quick dessert?
Because this cake is so moist and already has cherry notes, I love pairing it with a really simple chocolate buttercream. You mix up your usual frosting, but maybe add a tiny splash of reserved cherry juice instead of all milk for the right spreading consistency. It’s perfect! If you’re too tired for fully homemade frosting, sometimes I cheat and just use a high-quality canned fudge frosting!
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes, you certainly can! This Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake is actually better the day after baking because the flavors settle in. You can bake the layers, let them cool completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap (two layers deep), and freeze them for up to two months. Thaw overnight on the counter before frosting. If you’re looking for something faster overall, check out some no-bake cheesecake options, though!
My batter looked way too thin; is my cake going to collapse?
You are describing the perfect batter for this cake! It’s supposed to be very thin—almost watery—because of the hot liquid and the cherry juice. It’s designed much differently than a thick, classic butter cake batter. As long as you followed the instruction not to overmix *after* adding the liquid, you are good to go. It bakes up beautifully sturdy!
Estimated Nutritional Information for Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
When we talk about how quick this Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake is, we also need to remember what we’re putting in our bodies! I’ve pulled together the estimated nutrition facts below just so you have an idea of what you’re diving into per slice. But please, take this with a grain of salt!
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Protein: 5g
These figures are based purely on the cake ingredients themselves and totally leave out any frosting or glaze you might add on top. If you slather it with my favorite fudge frosting, well, those numbers are going way up, just saying!
Share Your Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake Creations
I absolutely love hearing from you when you try one of my favorite speedy recipes! Once you’ve baked up your gorgeous, fudgy Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake, please come back here and leave a rating and a comment telling me how it went for you. Did you use coffee or water? What frosting did you choose? And if you snapped a picture of your beautiful layers, tag me on social media! Seeing your success makes all this kitchen experimentation worthwhile.
Print
Quick Cherry Chocolate Cake
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A fast recipe for a moist chocolate cake with cherry flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water or hot brewed coffee
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
- Carefully stir in the hot water or coffee and the cherry juice until just combined. The batter will be thin.
- Gently fold in the chopped cherries.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- You can substitute regular milk for buttermilk if you mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting once the cakes are fully cooled.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: cherry chocolate cake, quick cake, easy dessert, chocolate recipe, cherry flavor