EASY 4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake
Make an easy 4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake recipe, moist and tasty. The perfect weekend dessert served with Vanilla Ice Cream! Watch the video!
This 4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake recipe is a great any-time of year cake to make. It’s perfect for any occasion, with easy ingredients to keep in your pantry, and everyone loves it. We call this our 30-minute cake, because it’s out of the oven in 30 minutes, and ready to frost (or not) and serve!
If you love chocolate, you’ve also got to try my Toffee Chocolate Bundt Cake!
4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake
Friends, I’ve had this recipe for years. It was my sister’s go-to chocolate cake recipe over 40 years ago. This recipe anyone can make, especially when you’re in a pinch with impromptu guests coming in 30 minutes. Or maybe you’ve forgotten you committed to bringing dessert to a party (do you do that, too?). Let’s get started: All you need are these ingredients to bake this cake.
Ingredients for 4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake
- Devils Food Cake Mix
- Can cherry pie filling
- Eggs
- Almond extract
You can buy the frosting for a quick spread while the cake is cooled, or make your own.
Frosting ingredients:
- Powdered sugar
- Butter
- Milk
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Vanilla
- Cocoa
Here are the reasons why we love this cake!
- Anyone can make it. Even a small child!
- Easily stocked ingredients in the pantry.
- Everyone loves it. Everyone!
- You won’t go home with leftovers (if you bring to a party).
- You won’t be tempted with leftovers (if the party is at your house). HA.
- Any kind of ice cream pairs well with this. We love vanilla!
- If you don’t want to make a frosting, serve it with ice cream OR … a warm fudge topping!
How do I make a chocolate cake moist?
All you need on hand is a chocolate cake mix, a can of pie cherries, eggs, and the secret ingredient … almond extract.
What makes the cake so moist is the can of pie cherries!
Tips and Variations:
- It’s the ultimate QUICK and tasty, moist chocolate birthday cake – ever! My sister’s touch is to add almond extract! (Good job, sis!)
- Optional to leave out the almond extract if you want only a chocolate and vanilla flavor.
- Be sure to check every cherry for pits. Once in awhile a pit is left in one or two of the cherries, and you don’t want your guests to break a tooth.
- Change up the cake mix for a variation of chocolate cake mixes, or even try a white or yellow cake mix. But then again, it wouldn’t be called “chocolate cherry” cake. LOL
- Don’t overbake the cake. You want it to be perfectly moist.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. You can also spread a jar of Trader Joe’s fudge on top, for a quick frosting.
- The cake is amazing served warm.
- Add more cherries on top when you serve each piece.
How to make a simple frosting?
Wanna make the frosting?
- Mix together powdered sugar, soft butter, milk, semisweet chocolate chips. Cook over stovetop at medium heat and then add vanilla and cocoa.
- Spread over the warm cake immediately.
It’s also great to serve for any special occasion? Like Game Day or Valentine’s Day or Christmas — or family night or a potluck?
I am a huge fan of my Le Creuset pan and KitchenAid mixer (or hand-mixer) for baking cakes!
More easy chocolate desserts to try:
Irish Black and White Bread Pudding (yes, chocolate and white chocolate)
Cherry Berry Dump Cake [Crazy for Crust]
Get the Recipe:
4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
- 9x13 baking dish (I like to use a ceramic baking dish)
- Stand mixer (I love my KitchenAid stand mixer)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat for 1-2 minutes. If you want chunkier cherries, mix by hand.
- Pour batter into 9×13 sprayed pan.
- Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Frost with your favorite frosting, whipped cream, or serve with your favorite ice cream!
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
yummy great cake
How far ahead can this be made? Making for a large gathering
You can make it a couple days before, but I’d frost it the day you serve it!
This was a hit with my family . I made the frosting and added maraschino cherry juice and it was gave the frosting a little cherry/chocolate flavor
This was originally on the Duncan Hines cake box in the late 80’s to the 90’s. They called them chocolate cherry bars.
I love this cake and everyone I shared it with loved it! Can’t get any easier! I was surprised the cake was so moist!
Could you add additional cherries Seemed like not quite enough cherries! Maybe maraschinos ?????
Sure – give it a try :)
what is the measurements for the frosting? I seen the ingredients but not the amount.
We just used a pre-made frosting (in the can).
I live at high altitude and just made this cake – in a bundt pan – and I did not even alter it for elevation. I might add a 3rd egg next time to experiment but the recipe as is; well, it was great!
I dusted the bundt pan with cocoa powder after greasing it for a little extra texture and flavor. I used a choc. glaze for to drizzle because I didn’t want to cover the pretty design form the intricate bundt pan I used. It looked so fancy and took no time at all.
Baked it for 33 minutes – thanks for sharing this recipe.
Can this be baked in a 11×17 pan? If so, bake for how long?
Hi Kathryn, I’ve only made this recipe in a 9×13 pan. I haven’t tried the larger pan.
Its amazing. Easy to make perfect dessert for guest dish 😋
If using a bundt pan, what temperature and how long to bake?
I haven’t made it in a bundt pan, so I’m no sure exactly the baking time.
Hi CIndy. I experimented and kept the oven temp and time the same when I made it in a bundt. I ended up needing only a few extra minutes in the oven. So 350 for 33 minutes.
Let me know if you made it and how it went!
Baked in Bundt pan ! Just like the way it looks ! Absolutely delicious ❤️❤️❤️ Someone asked about using different flavor than almond ! I wouldn’t , the almond gives it just a distinct taste 💕
This sounds so good and looks yummy. I can’t wait to try it. Thank you and your Sister for sharing with everyone. 🌴From Florida 🌴
can i substitute caramel extract for almond extract ?
I’ve never tried caramel .. let us know if you liked it!
Ive been making this cake for years. Great go to for gathering. Sometimes I buy the canned frosting and use my hand mixer to fluff it wand it goes twice as far
Thank you for this recipe! So to be certain that I understand – the instructions for ingredients on the Devil’s Food Cake Mix (oil, water, etc.) are to be disregarded and only the canned cherries are to be added to the cake mix along with the remaining ingredients for THIS recipe, correct? Thank you!
4 ingredients … the cake mix, eggs, cherries, and almond extract. ENJOY! (right, no oil or water)
This was amazing! I made it in a Bundt pan and drizzled it with a chocolate glaze. My guest actually had me cover my cake plate to resist the temptation to keep eating it! So, so tasty! Question… can this be adapted to a cookie recipe??!!!
Thank you! I’ve never tried the cookies! let us know!
How long did you bake it in the Bundt pan?
do you spray or grease the cake pan
Yes, always when you bake a cake! :)
My husband loves cherry anything. So I will make this , thanks!
So easy to make ……even on a 91 degree day. Many years since I made this cake . Used almond extract which was a nice idea. Thanks.
Does this get stored in the fridge or can I leave it out?
You can leave it out.
I made cupcakes. They were delicious.
So easy and so so good!!!!
Made this for the first time this morning. Delicious. I frosted it when cooled with a can of rich and creamy chocolate frosting. One word of caution…….be sure to check every cherry for pits. For years I used cherry pie filling with no pits. The last three cans had a couple of pits. This can had one pit. You don’t want to break a tooth!!
GOOD TIP! Thanks for sharing that.
Cake and frosting sound yummy! 😋
Must try!