Chocolate Cherry Cake is rich and moist and tastes just like biting into a luscious cherry chocolate candy. The perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day!
Chocolate Cherry Cake
Chocolate Cherry Cake is a delightfully rich and flavorful twist on a classic poke cake. Fudgy chocolate cake drizzled with cherry gelatin and topped with a creamy pudding frosting, this cake is best served chilled with a glass of ice cold milk. It’s so easy to put together, yet tastes like an Old Fashioned Chocolate Covered Cherries treat! This chocolate cherry cake recipe is a fun way to get kids involved in the kitchen too; my children love to poke holes over the top! Read on to find out how to make this luscious dessert for yourself!
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What Kind of Cake to Use in Chocolate Cherry Cake
For this recipe, we love using a devil’s food cake mix, to give it that extra fudgy texture and flavor. However most chocolate cake mixes will work just fine. You could also make a homemade chocolate cake, using this recipe here.
How to Make Pudding Frosting
My very favorite part of this scrumptious cake recipe is the thick, creamy pudding frosting. Trust me, you’ve never tasted anything so velvety and rich! There are a couple of tips to making this the sweetest frosting ever:
- You’ll notice in the recipe card below, we use less milk than called for on the pudding box instructions. Using a bit less milk makes the pudding thicker, therefore allowing it to hold its consistency better when spread on the cake.
- Use at least 2% milk, preferably whole milk. This makes the pudding thicker and much creamier. It is so worth the few extra calories, I promise!
Does the Jell-O Make the Chocolate Cake Soggy?
No! Drizzling the hot gelatin mixture over the chocolate cake will allow for extra moisture, sure, but it won’t get soggy. The Jell-O sets up quickly while the cake chills in the refrigerator and creates a layer of flavor that is out of this world!
Can Chocolate Cherry Cake Be Made Ahead of Time?
This chocolate cherry cake is so easy to make ahead. Because it needs to stay refrigerated, you can make it up to three days in advance and keep in the fridge until serving time.
Can You Freeze Chocolate Cherry Cake?
It’s best to freeze this chocolate cake after adding the Jell-O, but before topping it with the pudding frosting. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and store for up to a month in the freezer. When you’re ready to serve, remove from the freezer and allow it to thaw in the fridge. Then frost as instructed.
Variations on Poke Cake
We’ve tried many poke cake recipes over the years. The combinations of cake flavors, Jell-O gelatin and Jell-O pudding are endless! Here are a few of our favorites:
- Raspberry Lemon Poke Cake
- Pina Colada Poke Cake
- Patriotic Poke Cake
- Pumpkin Poke Cake
- Chocolate Pudding Cake
More Decadent Chocolate Cakes
While we’re on the subject of chocolate, try some of our other divinely rich chocolaty cakes. Romantic dinners topped with a sinfully sweet slice of cake? Your sweetheart will thank you!
- Ridiculously Delicious Chocolate Cake
- Slow Cooker Molten Chocolate and Caramel Cake
- Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake
- Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Nothing Bundt Cake Copycat
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Cake
Chocolate Cherry Cake
- 1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 (3 ounce) box package cherry instant Jell-o mix
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup ice cold water
- 2 3.4 (3.4 ounce) box chocolate Jell-o instant pudding mixes
- 3 cups milk 2% or whole
- Maraschino cherries
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Mix cake mix, water, oil, and eggs well. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Pour mix into a greased 9x13 pan and bake according to package directions.
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Let cake cool completely - about 1 hour. Using a fork, poke small holes all over the top of the cake.
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Boil 1 cup water in a small saucepan and pour into a small bowl. Add cherry Jell-o mix and stir with a whisk until Jell-o is completely dissolved. Add cold water and stir.
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Pour cherry Jell-o mixture over the cake. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan.
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Refrigerate cake for 2 hours.
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While cake is in the refrigerator, mix the chocolate pudding mixes with 3 cups milk (2% or whole). Blend until pudding is completely dissolved. Refrigerate pudding for at least 1 hour.
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Frost the cake with the pudding and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
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Garnish the cake with mini chocolate chips and maraschino cherries just before serving.
South Sea Susy says
Can’t you add the cherry jello powder into the cake mix prior to baking? This would save a step and time, I would think.
Erica says
We have never done it that way– so it may work! Let us know how it turns out!
Connie says
Would this work with cupcakes in place of the 9 x 13 pan? If so, how many holes should I make in each cupcake? Thank you in advance for your help! 🙂
Emily says
Yes! I would just do 3 to 4 holes in each one.