One of my favorite Pillsbury Bake Off recipes is this one from 1974, a $25,000 winner, although in the printed version I have it calls for two eggs, not three. When I use a cake mix, I typically make it with some variations. Although a mix can be very convenient and I am not completely opposed to using them, I like a cake made from scratch, not with all the preservatives of a mix. So I came up with this variation of a much simpler recipe. When I make it in a Bundt pan, I prefer to cover it with cherry pie filling, but when I make it in a 9×13-inch pan I typically use the fudgy chocolate frosting. I don’t always make this the same way, but this was today’s version.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake (adapted from Francis Jerzak’s Pillsbury Bake Off recipe)
2 1/3 c. flour
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 t. sea salt
1/3 c. expeller pressed canola oil
1 21 oz can cherry pie filling (regular or ‘lite’)
2 eggs
1 t. almond extract
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 F. Either grease and flour a pan or spray with nonstick spray; set aside.
Stir dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, stir together oil, pie filling, eggs, and extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, gently stirring until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread the batter into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
Either frost with fudgy chocolate frosting while still warm or cool completely and cover with with another can of cherry pie filling or sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
5 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
Bring sugar, milk, and butter to a boil, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until completely melted. Spread over cake while warm.
Filed under: Brownies & Bars, Cake, Chocolate, Dessert | 3 Comments »