Chocolate Cherry Cake

This Chocolate Cherry Cake is packed with fresh cherries and chocolate chips (and chunks!). Made with Greek yogurt, it has a light and fluffy texture—perfect for summer! Just 20 minutes of prep and about 1 hour of baking time. Serve it for breakfast, brunch, or as a dessert with vanilla ice cream!

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Looking for a delicious summer cake recipe? If you've got an abundance of fresh cherries from the farmers market, this cherry chocolate cake is the perfect solution! With just 20 minutes of prep and about 1 hour of idle baking time, it's perfect for hot summer nights or special occasions. No mixer required! It's a light and refreshing cake with only 1 cup of sugar and a modest amount of butter (4 oz or ½ cup), supplemented by 1 cup of plain, low-fat Greek yogurt (or kefir). Greek yogurt replaces much of the butter, maintaining a light and fluffy texture without unnecessary calories. All the flavors come from fresh cherries and chocolate chunks (or chips). For more Summer dessert ideas, explore this raspberry lemon cake or utilize seasonal yellow peaches for this blueberry peach Greek yogurt cake.

Why you'll love it

• Light summer dessert. This recipe has no cream cheese, heavy cream, milk, or frosting, and features just 4 oz of butter. It's a light and refreshing summer dessert without unnecessary calories that often come with buttercream, frosting, cream filling, etc. Combining Greek yogurt and butter creates a light, fluffy, and moist texture without overwhelming richness.
• Fresh cherries bring natural sweetness and freshness into chocolate cakes, perfectly complementing the rich, melty chocolate chips or chunks.
• Quick and easy recipe. It takes only 20 minutes to prepare and about 45 minutes to 1 hour of baking (idle) time.
• Flexible and versatile! You can use blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries, instead of fresh cherries! This recipe can be easily adjusted to be gluten-free! More details on that below.
• Great for making ahead. Chocolate cherry cake keeps well for about 5 days and can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Ingredients

• Flour. Use regular all-purpose flour or cake flour. You can also use gluten-free flour - this cake has been tested with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure flour.
• Baking Powder. Ensure it’s fresh for proper rising.
• Butter. Use 4 oz (one stick) of salted butter, softened at room temperature. No extra salt is needed.
• Greek Yogurt. Adds tang and moisture. It replaces some butter, enhancing texture. I have also made this cake with plain Kefir. You can also use sour cream, regular yogurt, or buttermilk instead of Greek yogurt.
• Sugar. Use regular granulated white sugar.
• Eggs. Make the cake moist and light.
• Vanilla. Use high-quality vanilla extract.
• Fresh Cherries. Use firm, fresh, dark sweet cherries. Pit and slice each cherry in half. I used a very handy cherry pitter that I got on Amazon. You will need 2 cups of pitted cherries (40 cherries total)
• Chocolate chips (or chunks). I used a combo: 1 cup of chocolate chunks to fold into the cake batter and 1/ 2 cup of chocolate chips to top the cake.

How to make chocolate cherry cake

Here are step-by-step photos and an overview of the instructions. Scroll down to the recipe card for the complete recipe (including the amounts of ingredients!).

1) Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare the baking pan. Line the sides and the bottom of the 9x3-inch springform pan with a single large piece of parchment paper, with paper sides hanging outside of the pan. No need to grease the pan or parchment paper.

2) Make cake batter. In a medium bowl, mix flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, combine white sugar, melted butter, and eggs, and beat using a whisk for about 1 or 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Mix in Greek yogurt and vanilla extract, and whisk until combined. Add the flour mixture gradually (1 cup at a time), and whisk it together with the wet ingredients just until combined.

3) Fold half of the cherries and chocolate chunks into the cake batter. Fold 1 cup of pitted cherries (about 20 cherries) and 1 cup of chocolate chunks (or chips) into cake batter.

4) Add the cake batter (with folded cherries and chocolate chunks) into the parchment paper-lined springform pan.

5) Top the cake batter with the remaining cherries and chocolate chips: scatter 1 cup of pitted cherries (about 20 cherries) on top of the cake batter together with ½ cup of chocolate chips.

6) Bake for about 45 or 1 hour until the tester (or toothpick) inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Baking times will differ based on your type of oven (convection, regular) and altitude.

7) Release the cake from the springform pan once it's cool (after about 50 minutes). Dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve!

Baking tips and recipe notes

• Use a Cherry Pitter: A cherry pitter, which you can find on Amazon, is a huge time saver. It makes pitting a whole bag of cherries quick and easy. After pitting, slice each cherry in half.
• Measure Flour Properly: Use a scale for accuracy or aerate the flour well. Fluff the flour with a spoon and gently spoon it into your measuring cup with a spoon to avoid overpacking, which can lead to a denser cake.
• Avoid Overmixing: Mix the ingredients thoroughly but avoid overmixing to prevent a dense texture.
• Line the bottom and sides of the springform pan with a single large piece of parchment paper. When using this method, you don't need to grease the pan or the paper.
• Electric Mixer is Optional: This recipe is simple enough to mix by hand with a large fork or whisk, though an electric mixer can be used if preferred.

Baking dishes you can use

• 9x3 Inch Springform Baking Pan is what I used in this recipe. It's perfect for this size of the cake and for easy release and maintaining the cake's shape. Line the bottom and the sides of the pan with parchment paper for a cleaner release.
• 10-Inch or 12-Inch Round High-Sided Cast-Iron Skillet creates crispy, golden-brown edges with a soft, moist center and ensures even heating for a consistent texture.
• 9x13 Rectangular Baking Pan. Grease the pan, pour in the batter, and bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• 12-Cup Muffin Pan is perfect for turning the chocolate cherry cake into muffins or cupcakes. Mix all cherries and chocolate chips into the batter, fill the cups ⅔ full, and bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

How to make it gluten-free

• This recipe has been tested with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour - it works great, and you can use it 1-to-1 without making any changes to this recipe. The same applies to King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure flour.
• If the cake batter is too thick, add extra Greek yogurt (about ¼ cup).
• You might also have to bake this cake a little longer using GF flour.
• I also recommend baking in a cast-iron skillet if using gluten-free flour.

Storage Tips

• Store at room temperature. For the first 48 hours, keep the cake at room temperature. Allow the cake to cool completely, then loosely cover it with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving some space for air circulation. Store it this way in a cool area away from sunlight for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerate. Store the chocolate cherry cake in an airtight container or on a cake platter or large plate, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freeze. Once the cake is completely cool, freeze it within 2 days of baking. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag or a sturdy freezer container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

How to Serve Chocolate Cherry Cake

• It's perfect as is with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast, a midafternoon snack, or a late-night dessert.
• Top it with ice cream. So many flavors will work here: vanilla, chocolate, or cherry ice cream!
• Dust the cake with powdered sugar using a fine mesh strainer for an elegant presentation.
• Top it with whipped cream to create a nice, creamy contrast to fresh cherries and chocolate.

Other Summer cakes

• Apple Blueberry Cake
• Raspberry Peach Cake
• Plum Cake
• Pear Almond Cake
• Blueberry Peach Cake
• Strawberry Peach Cake

5 from 3 votes

Chocolate Cherry Cake

This Chocolate Cherry Cake is packed with fresh cherries and chocolate chips (and chunks!). Made with Greek yogurt, it has a light and fluffy texture—perfect for summer! Just 20 minutes of prep and about 1 hour of baking time. Serve it for breakfast, brunch, or as a dessert with vanilla ice cream!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Calories per serving 428 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour or baking flour, sifted or aerated (see note below)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 oz salted butter melted (½ cup)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt low-fat
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups fresh cherries cleaned, pitted, halved (total of 40 cherries)
• 1.5 cups chocolate chips or chunks

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). If your oven has a convection setting, use a convection bake setting. Line both the bottom AND the sides of the 9x3-inch springform pan with a single, large piece of parchment paper (with parchment paper hanging outside of the pan - see photos above for reference). This way, you don't need to grease the springform pan or parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour and baking powder.
• In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, melted butter, and eggs, and beat using a whisk for about 1 or 2 minutes until the mixture turns light in color, smooth (not grainy), and fluffy.
• Mix in Greek yogurt and vanilla extract, and whisk just until combined.
• Add the flour mixture gradually, whisking 1 cup of flour at a time with the wet ingredients until combined. Do not over-mix.
• Carefully fold 1 cup of halved cherries and 1 cup of chocolate chips (or chunks) into the cake batter.
• Pour the cake batter into the parchment paper-lined springform pan. Arrange the remaining 1 cup of pitted cherries on top of the cake. Scatter ½ cup of chocolate chips in between the cherries on top of the cake batter.
• Place the springform baking pan with the cake batter on the middle rack (this is especially important for non-convection ovens). Bake for about 45 or 50 minutes - the tester (or toothpick) inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean. If not, bake 5 or 10 more minutes longer, checking the cake every 5 minutes for doneness. I baked this cake on a convection bake setting for exactly 45 minutes at 350 F - it was completely done and nicely browned by that time. If you use a regular oven, the cake could take longer (up to about 1 hour) to bake at 350 F.
• Remove the cake from the oven. Let it cool in a springform pan on a wire rack for about 40 or 60 minutes, then release it from the springform pan. At this point, if the cake is cool enough, you can slide your hand (or a large, wide spatula) under the cake, between the parchment paper and the cake, and transfer the cake without the parchment paper onto a cake plate.
• When serving, dust with powdered sugar.
• I provide helpful step-by-step photos above the recipe card (scroll up).

Notes

High-altitude baking notes

I've also baked this cake at around 9,000 feet elevation without any recipe adjustments. However, it took me significantly longer to bake it—about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes—in a regular oven at 350°F on the middle rack. By comparison, it took me 45 minutes at sea level to bake the same kind of cake at 350°F using the convection oven setting on the middle rack.

How to properly measure flour using cups

When using measuring cups to measure flour, it's crucial to sift or aerate the flour first. This is done either by sifting flour (using a fine-mesh sieve) or aerating it. Aerate the flour by fluffing it up and whisking it well with a spoon or a fork, then spooning it into the measuring cup using a large spoon and carefully removing any excess flour with a knife. Don't just stick that measuring cup in the bag of flour and scoop some out - that will result in overpacking the flour into a cup and a dense cake.

Baking tips

• If you have a convection setting in your oven, use that to bake this cake.
• If you don't have a convection setting, bake the cake on the middle rack or above the middle one.
• Ensure the oven is fully preheated to 350 F before placing the cake.

What baking pans can you use?

• I used a 9x3-inch round springform baking pan. I prefer to line the bottom and sides of the springform pan with a single large piece of parchment paper, which eliminates the need to grease the pan or the parchment paper.
• 9x13 rectangular baking pan. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Use a 12-cup muffin pan. To turn this cake into muffins or cupcakes, fold all of the cherries and chocolate chips into the cake batter. Then, fill the muffin pan ⅔ of the way and bake for about 20 or 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the muffin.
• 10-inch or 12-inch round high-sided cast-iron skillet. It will create crispy, golden-brown edges with a soft and moist center.

Other notes

• Make it gluten-free. This recipe has been tested with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. You can also use King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure flour. If using these flours, you might have to add ¼ cup more of Greek yogurt (if the cake batter is too thick).
• Greek yogurt can be replaced with plain Kefir, regular yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream. I highly recommend using plain Kefir or Greek yogurt - they are light and provide a nice tang.

Nutrition

Nutrition Information

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Amount per Serving

Calories

428

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

18

g

28

%

Saturated Fat

 

11

g

69

%

Trans Fat

 

0.4

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

3

g

Cholesterol

 

58

mg

19

%

Sodium

 

178

mg

8

%

Potassium

 

209

mg

6

%

Carbohydrates

 

62

g

21

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

40

g

44

%

Protein

 

6

g

12

%

Vitamin A

 

350

IU

7

%

Vitamin C

 

2

mg

2

%

Calcium

 

104

mg

10

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclaimer:

The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Keyword chocolate cherry cake