This past Sunday, we had our grandson Ivan up for dinner. I asked if there were any special requests. Without hesitation he answered the Chocolate Cherry Cake from my first cookbook. And since he had recently had a birthday, I decided a birthday cake would be absolutely perfect. So, instead of baking this cake in a bundt pan or a 9×13-inch cake pan, I used 2 (8-inch) square pans. One glass and 1 disposable aluminum that I could send home with him.

What a remarkable and wonderful young man he has become. We thoroughly enjoyed his company and can’t wait to spend more time with him. But I had to confess that this was not the original recipe from my cookbook. You can find that recipe using a cake mix under Chocolate Cherry Cake. Oh, and BTW, this recipe makes a much more delicious cake than when a cake mix is used. Go figure!   

Now, having made chocolate cherry cakes using a cake mix for more years than I care to disclose, I decided to go online and see if other bakers more qualified than I am to play mad scientist had come up with an alternative to using a packaged cake mix containing preservatives, artificial flavors, and more sugar than necessary. Another consideration being that some of the leading manufacturers have reduced their cake mixes from around 18 ounces to around 15 ounces. So, using a cake mix at this point is a bit iffy because the proportion of dry ingredients to wet ingredients has now been altered.

Unlike bread dough, where yeast is the leavening agent and you can more easily play fast and loose with additives or deletions, cake batter is a precise combination of ingredients. In fact, a cake recipe is a scientific formula in which the ingredients are combined in a certain way to form the cake’s structure.

So, to the internet I proceeded. And with my guardian angel firmly affixed to my right shoulder, I found this recipe on thesouthernladycooks.com site. Of course, I changed things up a bit, but the main recipe is straight off the site.

The only thing I still want to do is figure out how to make 21 ounces of cherry pie filling from scratch. So, when, and if I succeed, I will add that homemade version to this recipe.

Well, that’s it for today. The morning rain shower has gone elsewhere, and the sun is now shining. There are still clouds in the sky and over the mountains, but Port Susan Bay is blue and calm. The cats are taking their morning siestas, Mr. C. is reading, and I am doing what I love best. Typing up another recipe and sending all of you my best wishes for continued peace and love in your life.

For the cake:

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1½ tsp. baking soda 

½ tsp. sea salt

¾ c. pure cocoa

1¼ c. granulated sugar

2 lg. eggs

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

1 (21-oz.) can cherry pie filling

In a large mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and sugar together. Mix the eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and cherry pie filling together in a separate mixing bowl. (I don’t use a mixer with this recipe.) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until all ingredients are wet. 

Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch cake pan. Or prepared bundt pan. Or two 8-inch pans.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until a pick comes out clean. Don’t overbake.  

Remove from oven and let cake cool before frosting.

For the frosting:

¾ c. granulated sugar

¼ c. evaporated milk

3 T. unsalted butter

pinch salt

½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chocolate chips of choice)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine sugar, milk, butter, and salt in pan on top of stove.  Bring to boil and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and vanilla.  Stir with spoon or whisk until chips are melted. Spread with an offset spatula evenly over cooled cake. Don’t doddle. This frosting sets up quickly.