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Pink Cherry Cake with Glossy Fudge Frosting
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5 from 6 votes

Cherry Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

This seriously decadent and flavorful Pink Cherry Cake with Fudge frosting is a showstopper! So delicious and always a hit with friends and family!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baking, cakes, cherry cake, fudge frosting
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Amanda Rettke

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.