This is the easiest chocolate cherry bundt cake ever because it starts with a cake mix and includes only 3 ingredients, but comes out tasting homemade and super moist.
I don’t think you’ll find an easier cake to make than this one. It comes together quickly and it turns out beautifully every single time. If you’re a fan of black forest cake, then this one is definitely for you.
Table of Contents:
The great thing about this cake is that it’s a bundt cake, so you don’t have to do any fancy decorating and it’s easy to take to potlucks or gatherings. It’s super moist and even though it’s cake mix based, it actually tastes homemade, like you made it from scratch.
If you want to add the glaze, then that just takes it over the top and adds a little extra chocolate flavor, but it’s completely optional as the cake tastes great with or without the glaze.
Ingredient Notes:
Now let’s talk about just some of the ingredients that are in this cherry chocolate cake. (The printable list of all ingredients are in the recipe card below.)
Chocolate cake mix: This recipe starts with a cake mix, which makes it super simple and easy. You could use really any type of chocolate cake mix, but I find that Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines work the best.
Cherry pie filling: This will add not only the cherry flavor but also lots of moisture.
Eggs: These are what will lift up and solidify the cake, so make sure to use large eggs.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips and milk: If you decide to go with a glaze, this is a simple one made of just chocolate and milk or cream.
How to Make this Cake:
Let’s talk about how to make this chocolate cherry cake. (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Step 1:
First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Then grease and flour a 9-10 inch bundt pan very well. Make sure not to skip this step as this cake is very moist and will easily stick to the pan if it’s not prepared.
Step 2:
Next, add all of the cake ingredients to a large bowl and mix for about 30 seconds with an electric mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom, then mix again for about 1 minute. Note that the batter will be a little thick.
Step 3:
Add the batter to the prepared bundt pan and bake for approximately 40-50 minutes. This cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean, but no raw batter.
Step 4:
Once baked, set the cake on a wire rack, still inside the pan, for about 30 minutes before you try to get the cake out of the pan.
Step 5:
After 30 minutes, turn the cake out of the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.
Step 6:
Make the chocolate glaze by adding two cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips and ¼ cup of cream or milk to a bowl. Then melt in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir and if not completely melted, melt again in the microwave for another 20 seconds and mix again.
If the drizzle is too thick, add another tablespoon or two of cream or milk and mix again. Repeat these steps until you reach drizzling consistency. Drizzle onto the cake.
Easy Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker triple chocolate fudge cake mix)
- 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling (Use regular pie filling, not the natural type)
- 3 large eggs
For the drizzle:
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup milk or cream
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a 9-10 inch bundt pan well.
- In a large bowl, add all the cake ingredients and mix for about 30 seconds with an electric mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom, then mix again for about 1 minute. Batter will be a little thick.
- Add the batter to the prepared pan and bake for approximately 40-50 minutes. The cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out with a few moist curmbs on it or clean, but no raw batter.
- Set the baked cake on a wire rack, still inside the pan, for about 30 minutes. Then turn the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Let the cake cool before adding the drizzle.
For the drizzle: (See an easier option in the notes.)
- In a bowl, add the two cups sweet chocolate chips, ¼ cup cream or milk and melt in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir and if not completely melted, melt again in teh microwave for another 20 seconds and mix again. If too thick, add another tablespoon or two of cream or milk and mix again. Repeat until you reach drizzling consistency. Drizzle onto cooled cake.
- (See an even easier option for topping the cake in the notes section below.)
Notes
Nutrition
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Tips & FAQs:
Just make sure to use a cake mix box that’s around 15 oz. Any chocolate cake mix will probably do, but I prefer Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines.
No, don’t add the ingredients that are listed on the back of the cake mix box. Just add the cake mix dry to the mixing bowl, plus the other ingredients called for in the recipe.
Make sure you actually get cherry pie filling and not just canned cherries and the natural cherry pie filling doesn’t work as well. Also, make sure it’s 21 ounces and that the cherries are pitted.
No, the eggs and the cherry pie filling will add enough liquid, so you don’t want to add any additional liquid.
You’ll want to grease and flour this pan very well, even if you’re using a non-stick pan. This cake is very moist and will easily stick to the pan if it’s not well prepared.
The cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean, but no raw batter.
After this cake is baked, make sure to let the pan sit on a wire rack, in the pan, for about 30 minutes before trying to remove the cake from the pan.
You don’t have to make the drizzle. There are a couple of easier options. First, you could just sprinkle the cake with confectioner’s sugar. The second option would be to heat up a can of chocolate frosting and pour it over the top for a quick glaze.
I have not frozen this cake, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t freeze just fine. Let the baked cake cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and foil and place in the freezer for up to two months.
To thaw, place the wrapped cake on the counter at room temperature and let thaw completely, then remove the wrapping. Once defrosted, add the glaze.
This cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and can last up to about 5 days.
Maybe, but I have not tried that out. You may be able to pour the cake batter into two, 8-inch round cake pans and bake at 325 degrees F, but you will need to lower the amount of bake time. Start checking for doneness at around 25 minutes, but it may need to be baked a bit longer.
The cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake layer comes out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean, but no raw batter.
This cake is best served at room temperature or warm. If cold, pop in the microwave to warm up a bit.
This cake would also be wonderful warmed up with a scoop of ice cream.
You could add semi-sweet chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips to the cake batter.
Video:
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Looks interesting. My wife found this – it is not what I was thinking of (my sister used to make a cake on top of cherry pie filling – she does not remember anymore)
I note that the metric conversion is far from complete (most ingredients not converted), and is a hard conversion (what is 1/7 ml?)
Hi Bruce, I think I might know what you’re referring to about the cherry pie filling and cake on top. There’s a cake recipe called ‘dump cake’. It’s cherry pie filling on the bottom and then yellow cake mix sprinkled over the top with melted butter poured over and baked. Sometimes people add pineapple before the sprinkled cake mix. Maybe it was something similar? I’ve had it before and it’s good. Oh and I’ll check out the metric conversion. It’s an automatic program and sometimes it doesn’t get it just right, especially when there is prepackaged stuff like cake mixes and canned ingredients. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I can’t believe that a cake that takes 5 minutes to put together tastes so great. Will always keep a cake mix and can of pie filling in the cupboard now. Thanks for the recipe Kara!
Thanks for the great review, Sue! I’m so glad you loved it!
Can we make cupcakes with this recipe?
I haven’t tried this recipe for cupcakes, so I just can’t be sure. I think it would work, but can’t be 100%.