Chocolate Cherry Cake

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Here is what I made for one of my favorite foodie guinea pigs tonight.  Something new and fun to eat.

You can make it all from scratch or use pre-made mix or pre-made icing depending on your time.  I went cake mix this time, but promise that the next time I'll share my famous made-from-scratch chocolate cake. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Cherry Cake

cake
favorite chocolate cake recipe or mix
3/4 cup chopped fresh cherries

filling (makes enough for two cakes)
1-3/4 cups powder sugar
1 cup Philadelphia whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tsp. Kirsch or cherry liqueur
1/2 cup fresh cherries, pureed

icing & finishing
chocolate fudge icing
whipped cream
fresh cherries

Mix up your favorite chocolate cake mix/recipe.  Mix in 3/4 cup of chopped fresh cherries into the batter and bake up according to directions in two (2) 8" round pans.

Rough chopped the pre-pitted cherries.

In a small mixing bowl, blend together powder sugar, whipped cream cheese, softened butter and Kirsch until smooth and creamy.

 

Fold in cherry puree and mix until well blended. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

When the cake is done baking, let cool completely.

to assemble

Put the bottom layer on a plate. If you want, using a pastry brush pat the cake down with a layer of Kirsch and then slather on a layer of filling.

I made a ring of icing along the edge first to keep the filling from spilling over.

Top with the second layer. Brush with more Kirsch (if you want).  Cover with icing.

Dollop around the edges with whipped cream.  Cover each dollop with a cherry...or really cute tool candles...and present to dear ole dad.

NOTES

To de-stone the cherries, I cut a circle around the outside, twisted them apart and then dug out the stone with my fingertip.  It took very little time.

The filling is really good by itself, FYI, would be tasty on some pound cake or a toasted bagel.

You can make this Kirsch-free.  Substitute water for the kirsch in the filling.

I used Cool Whip in lieu of real whipped cream because it holds it's shape longer.