Ingredients
- For the cake
- 3-1/4 cups (420 gm) cake flour, plus more for cherries
- 2-1/4 cups (450 gm) sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (170 gm) unsalted butter, cold
- 1-1/4 cups (300 gm) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1-1/2 cups chopped cherries, stemmed and cored
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- For the cherry filling
- 1-1/2 cups (150 gm) cherries, stemmed and cored and diced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the frosting
- 1-1/2 cups (285 gm) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 block/ 8 ounces (225 gm) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
- Appx. 5 cups (1-1/2 pounds or 680 gm) of powdered sugar
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Cherries and chocolate are a natural match made in heaven and when paired with fluffy vanilla cake and a tangy cream cheese frosting, the combination really sings making this Cherry Chip Cake a hard one to forget.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3-8” cake pans and line their bottoms with rounds of parchment paper cut to fit. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, stirring on low speed with the paddle attachment until well stirred. Add the butter in tablespoon-sized chunks and medium-low speed and continue to stir until the flour takes on a cornmeal type consistency, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and increase the speed to medium. Beat for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs one at a time and stir to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Toss the cherries and chocolate chips with 3 tablespoons of flour and fold the mixture into the batter. Divide the batter between the three pans and bake until a tester inserted comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
- To prepare the cherry filling, combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well to evenly coat the cherries. As the cherries cook, smash with the back of a fork or with a potato masher. Once the mixture is smooth, bring to a boil, stirring regularly, until the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat to a small bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap. Chill completely in the refrigerator completely prior to using.
- To prepare the frosting, beat the butter on medium speed in a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer (I use 4 on my stand mixer) for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the cream cheese and beat to incorporate for an additional minute. Add the salt, vanilla, and powdered sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue to beat until well combined. Do not overbeat as this can cause the cream cheese to loosen. If needed, add a tablespoon of water or milk at a time to get the frosting the right consistency. Refrigerate as needed to thicken the frosting up.
- To assemble the cake, use a serrated knife to level the cakes. Smooth a small amount of frosting on an 8” cake board or plate and center a single cake layer on top. Using a piping bag (see notes) fitted with a large round tip, pipe a dam around the outer rim of the top of the cake. The dam should be at least ¼” tall to prevent the raspberry filling from squirting out the sides. Spread approximately half of the cherry filling inside the dam and sprinkle with about 1/3 of the leftover mini chocolate chips. Pipe a bit of frosting on top of the cherry filling to help the next layer of cake stick. Stack the second cake layer on top and repeat the entire process once more. Place the final cake layer on top. Spread a thin coat of frosting (crumb coat) all over the cake and allow it to set up in the fridge prior to applying the final coat of frosting. You can skip this step if desired. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate chips and cherries, if desired. Cake will keep in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to three days.
Nutritional Information
Per Serving
- Calories: 724