Description
This Layered Cherry Coke Cake combines the rich flavors of chocolate with the unique fizz of Cherry Coke, creating a moist and flavorful dessert perfect for any celebration. Layered with a luscious cherry-infused buttercream and topped with maraschino cherries and chocolate ganache, this cake offers a delightful balance of sweet, fruity, and chocolatey notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons Cherry Coke soda
- ½ cup Canola Oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
Buttercream Frosting
- 3 cups unsalted butter (softened)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon cherry extract
- ¼ cup Maraschino cherry juice
- 2 drops of pink gel food coloring
Toppings & Ganache
- 1 cup stemless Maraschino cherries (dried and cut in half)
- 1 small jar of Maraschino Cherries with stems for toppings
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray your baking pans with non-stick baking spray to ensure the cake layers don’t stick during baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt until fully combined and aerated.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk the Cherry Coke soda, canola oil, and sour cream together until smooth and well blended.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: To the wet mixture, whisk in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract and maraschino cherry juice, mixing thoroughly.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking continuously until the batter is smooth and uniform with no lumps.
- Divide Batter: Evenly divide the batter among three prepared cake pans, smoothing the top to ensure even layers.
- Bake Cake Layers: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pans before handling further.
- Level Cake Layers: Remove the cooled cakes from their pans and transfer them to cake boards. Using a cake leveler, carefully slice off the domed tops of each cake layer to create a flat surface for stacking.
- Prepare Buttercream: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with heavy whipping cream, mixing well after each addition. Add cherry extract, maraschino cherry juice, and pink gel food coloring and continue beating until light and fluffy.
- Assemble Cake: Spread a generous layer of cherry buttercream on top of the first cake layer. Sprinkle dried, halved stemless maraschino cherries evenly over the frosting. Repeat the process for the second layer. Top with the final cake layer and frost the entire cake with the remaining buttercream, smoothing the sides and top.
- Make Chocolate Ganache: Heat the ½ cup heavy whipping cream until just simmering, then pour it over the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Let it sit for a minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. Allow it to cool slightly to thicken before drizzling or pouring over the cake.
- Decorate Cake: Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Finish by placing Maraschino cherries with stems on top as a decorative garnish.
Notes
- Ensure the cake layers are completely cooled before applying the buttercream to prevent melting.
- Dried halved cherries inside the frosting layers add texture and bursts of cherry flavor.
- For best cherry flavor, use fresh maraschino cherry juice rather than bottled.
- You can substitute Canola oil with vegetable or sunflower oil if desired.
- Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
