This seriously decadent and flavorful Pink Cherry Cake with Fudge frosting is a showstopper! So delicious and always a hit with friends and family!
Cherry Cake
One thing you will love about this cake is the addition of cherries to the batter. There are not many so you can play with the amount depending on your preference, but I love how subtle it is. Every now and then a perfect little burst of cherry flavor delights your taste buds.
I kid you not, every single page was better than the next. Her recipes are creative and oh so whimsical! I earmarked almost every page and can’t wait to try out all her fantastic recipes.
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
You’ll notice that this recipe has a lot more ingredients than your average chocolate buttercream, but it’s worth it! One of the most powerful ingredients is hot coffee. If you do not have coffee or prefer to not use it, you can substitute with hot water.
I also recommend adding milk chocolate and dark chocolate that you like to eat. These beautiful chocolate flavors will shine through so you will want to use good quality chocolate.
Rosette Cake
Everything about this cake was perfection.
The Fudge Frosting was a dream to work with; its silky texture seemed to glide effortlessly over the cake.
And just look at those rosettes! They piped out superbly. I think that is the first time I have used that word on my blog, but it definitely fits.
To make this cake I simply piped out rosettes around the top of the cake. I then went back and piped out another layer of rosettes directly on top of the original layer.
TIP: Make sure to end the rose on the inside of the cake so the outer edge is seamless and stunning!
I used Rosie’s Chocolate Fudge Frosting for in-between the layers and the exterior of the cake.
Let’s talk about the recipe for a moment. The cold butter is genius. As Rosie instructs in her recipe, you should not overmix the batter once the chilled butter has been added. If your butter is too warm, it could make the cake too dense.
Both techniques ended up working beautifully and the texture of the cake batter seemed almost like silk. The way it folded over itself in ribbons of pink was mesmerizing!
This cake is darling, divine and delish!! I cannot recommend it highly enough.
As well as Rosie’s book! You simply must get one. I promise you (seriously promise) you will not be disappointed. It is wonderful!
Cherry Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Ingredients
Pink Cherry Cake
- 3 1/4 cup (375g) cake flour
- 2 1/4 cup (450g) superfine sugar
- 1 tbsp. plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup (170g) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 1/3 cup (320ml) milk, room temperature
- 2 tbsp. Maraschino cherry juice
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 7 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 drops AmeriColor gel paste food coloring in Soft Pink
- About 20 Maraschino cherries halved
Fudge Frosting
- 1 1/2 cup (340g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners sugar sifted
- 1/2 cup (60g) dark cocoa powder sifted
- 1/3 cup (80ml) freshly brewed hot coffee
- 1/4 cup (60ml) sour cream room temperature
- 1 tsp. pure McCormick vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 10 oz (290g) milk chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled slightly
- 5 oz (150g) dark chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled slightly
Instructions
Pink Cherry Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment.
- In the bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed. (You can also use a hand-held mixer)
- Add in the butter one piece at a time. Beat on low speed until all the butter has been incorporated, about 3 minutes. The mixture should have a fine crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.
- In a medium measuring glass with a spout, combine half the milk, the cherry juice, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- In a separate measuring cup, gently whisk the egg whites and remaining milk.
- With the stand mixer on low speed, gradually add the cherry juice mixture, followed by pink food color and beat for five minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Put the mixer back on low speed and add the egg white mixture in three parts, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat for 1 minute.
- Toss the cherry bits in a little flour and gently fold them into the batter by hand.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center is removed with few crumbs.
- Let layers cool in their pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the sides of the cakes and carefully turn them out onto wire racks. Peel off parchment layers and cool completely.
- The cake layers will keep wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Fudge Frosting
- In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- With speed on low, and add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, coffee, sour cream, vanilla, and salt and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 more minutes.
- Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Frosting tastes too much coffee, I wished it was just chocolate with a cherry cake.
Paula, I questioned the frosting too. I’d omit coffee( no caffeine for kids). Then mix together before adding melted choc. I may just use a Little melted dark choc for taste. Then add more conf sugar if still thin.
It would be nice if our questions ever got answered.
There is salt listed in the directions but none listed in the ingredients or shown in the video which unfortunately I didn’t watch until after I added a teaspoon of salt. Hopefully it won’t make too much of a difference in the taste
A very easy and womderful recipe. Gonna try it soon
looks so delious
i’m pretty sure I can make this for a 12 year old all by my self
wait it says hot coffee so wont the butter just melt?
I only made the frosting, but it was great! Used decaf, since that’s what the family likes, and it cooled for a bit since I used the fresh the stuff for a chocolate cake cake (and cool coffee helps prevent the butter from splitting). It’s a bit thin, but didn’t need too much more confectioners sugar. Used more cocoa powder as well to help thicken and prevent the frosting from becoming overly sweet. Maybe add a half cup more confectioners sugar and a third cup more cocoa powder to get the perfect consistency (didn’t measure so can’t say how accurate that is, so maybe start out with a third and a quarter respectively). Alternatively, refrigerating the frosting may help!
So I have been searching for a really good fudgy frosting. This was delicious, might have experienced a sugar rush while sampling. The texture is unbelievably smooth. Works well for crumb coating right after mixing, but chilled the frosting for a bit so I could pipe. I’m thinking I may adjust the milk to dark chocolate ratio for my next go. Thank you!!!