Easy 4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake
This 4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake is the ultimate chocolate dessert, combining a moist, chocolatey cake with sweet cherry pie filling. It’s an incredibly easy recipe that’s perfect for using up pantry staples and is guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate craving.
Cakes like this are a staple in our home, especially when unexpected guests arrive. There’s something so satisfying about transforming a few simple ingredients into a brand-new, delicious dessert. We love that this recipe feels both indulgent and effortless. Perfect for a cozy night in when you need a little extra sweetness.
What is chocolate cherry cake?
This is a rich and moist cake featuring Devil’s Food cake mix and cherry pie filling baked into a tender, flavorful dessert. The cake gets its deep flavor from the chocolate cake mix and a touch of almond extract for warmth, all topped with a simple chocolate frosting or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Why you’ll 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 it 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!
Ingredients needed
- Devil’s Food cake mix: Forms the chocolate base of the cake, creating a rich and moist foundation.
- Cherry pie filling: Adds sweetness, moisture, and fruity flavor, and is the secret to keeping the cake incredibly moist.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and give the cake structure.
- Almond extract: The secret ingredient that adds warmth and enhances the chocolate and cherry flavors.
Optional Frosting Ingredients:
- Powdered sugar: Forms the base of a smooth, sweet frosting.
- Butter: Adds richness and a creamy texture.
- Milk: Thins the frosting to a spreadable consistency.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: Melt into the frosting for a deep chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla: Enhances the overall flavor of the frosting.
- Cocoa: Adds extra chocolate intensity.
How do you make this 4-ingredient chocolate cherry cake?
Make the batter:
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat for 1-2 minutes. If you want chunkier cherries, mix by hand.
PRO TIP: Be sure to check every cherry for pits. Occasionally a pit is left in one or two of the cherries, and you don’t want your guests to break a tooth.
Bake the cake:
- Pour batter into a 9×13 sprayed pan.
- Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
PRO TIP: Don’t overbake the cake. You want it to be perfectly moist.
Frost (optional) and serve:
- Frost with your favorite frosting, whipped cream, or serve with your favorite ice cream!
- Serve and enjoy!
PRO TIP: The cake is amazing served warm. Add more cherries on top when you serve each piece.
Serving
You can serve this chocolate cherry cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a warm fudge topping
for the ultimate indulgent dessert.
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Choose the right cake mix: Use a Devil’s Food cake mix for the richest chocolate flavor. You can also change up the cake mix for a variation of chocolate cake mixes.
- Check your cherries: Be sure to check every cherry for pits before mixing.
- Don’t overbake: Keep an eye on the cake as you want it perfectly moist.
- Make ahead: This cake is great made ahead and stored covered on the counter.
- Reheating: The cake is amazing served warm. Pop a slice in the microwave for a few seconds before serving later.
- Lighten it up: Serve with whipped cream instead of frosting for a lighter option.
Variations:
- Cake mix swaps: Try a white or yellow cake mix for a variation, though it won’t be “chocolate cherry” cake anymore!
- Fruit swaps: You can try strawberry pie filling instead of cherry and use the same amount (ounces).
- Frosting swaps: Try a ganache instead of traditional frosting for a richer finish.
- Toppings: Get creative with toppings! Extra cherries, chocolate shavings, or a dusting of cocoa powder are all fantastic choices.
If you love moist chocolate cake, be sure to try my Banana Breakfast Cake, Chocolate Rum Cake, or Chocolate Crazy Cake.
More delicious cakes you may want to try:
Get the Recipe:
4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Devils Food Cake Mix
- 1 21 oz can cherry pie filling
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 1 16 oz Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate Frosting, optional
Equipment
- 9×13 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
Sandy’s tips:
- Choose the right cake mix: Use a Devil’s Food cake mix for the richest chocolate flavor. You can also change up the cake mix for a variation of chocolate cake mixes.
- Check your cherries: Be sure to check every cherry for pits before mixing.
- Don’t overbake: Keep an eye on the cake as you want it perfectly moist.
- Make ahead: This cake is great made ahead and stored covered on the counter.
- Reheating: The cake is amazing served warm. Pop a slice in the microwave for a few seconds before serving later.
- Lighten it up: Serve with whipped cream instead of frosting for a lighter option.
- Betty Crocker Frosting: We love a can Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate Frosting but it’s good enough to enjoy without it. This is optional.
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...
Could this cake be frozen?
Yes it can!
This was easy to make and tasted so good! The crowed LOVED it!
I’ve been making this cake for many years and it’s always a crowd pleaser. However, I never thought to check for pits. Thanks for that advice. I’m glad I found this recipe again as I’ve lost the little cookbook that I originally found it in.
This is a wonderful recipe. Would love to add more pie filling, wondering how much I could add without making it to wet. 1/2 can or a full 2nd can ??? I always top with a cooked fudge frosting & sometimes add almond extract instead of vanilla to the frosting. Please let me know if anyone added extra pie filling. Thanks !
We haven’t tried adding more because it will change the consistency of the cake. :)
Dawn I have not added extra filling but I have added maraschino cherries ( no juice ) because I love cherries and it worked great !! About 1 cup !
I always add more pie filling. I put 1 large 30oz in the cake and 1 30oz on top. I also cook in a Bundt pan.. it’s amazing!
My comment disappeared before I could post it! Odd. Im just reporting that the recipe is wonderful and I made one batch with a gf cake mix. It came out a touch gummy on the bottom but tasted great!
I wondered about the different size cake mixes are now versus the 80’s and 90’s when many of these types of recipes were created. Cake mixes then were 18-20ounces! Now they are 15.25 (?) ounces. This does make a difference in a recipe that stares with a cake mix…. One solution is to add 2-3 tablespoons of flour or cocoa to make up the difference in volume. Anyone else run into issues with the new smaller size mixes?
Thanks for reminding me of a great cake from the past! I had happy Valentines Day family. ?
I have no idea why this recipe is rated so low. I have had this problem with other recipes, that are “cake mix” based. in my travels I found this:
“How to “Upsize” Boxed Cake Mixes
The trick itself was pretty straightforward. I mixed together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda (as suggested) and set aside. I placed a mixing bowl on a scale, and poured a 13.25-ounce Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix in. To my surprise (delight?), the mix weighed in at 13.9 ounces (not including the bowl).
But it was still almost 5 ounces lighter than the OG 18.25-ounce boxes. So, I then measured the difference – 4.35 ounces – of the upsizing mixture and combined the two. Because I was making a chocolate cake, I went in with an additional 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, plus the water, oil, and eggs that the box calls for, and whisked it all together. ”
hope it helps
Since the size of 2026 cakes mixes are about 3oz smaller than in the eighties: adding a 3oz pkg of pudding mix is an easy fix. You can also add 3oz of another cake mix to it. I just keep a box of mix in the freezer and add 6 Tbls (3oz) to the new box. Some cake mixes are only 13odd oz, so check which you are buying.
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!