
I’d like to begin this post by saying I’m fully aware that I’m a bad influence. If it’s any consolation I promise to look for healthy alternatives … certainly I have one or two around here somewhere. Not to mention, the temperatures are bound to perk up. Before long, it will be much too warm to wear the types of clothing that so nicely cover up my culinary indescretions. Until then…
This cherry-chocolate cake is positively divine. It came from Mable Hoffman’s Chocolate Cookery(still available from Amazon, by the way), which is full of all kinds of chocolaty goodness. Sure, the design is all 70’s, all the time, but the recipes–oh, the recipes!
Being Valentine’s and all, I opted for the Cherry-chocolate cake. As you can see from the photo, above, I used my mini hearts pan, rather than 2 9-inch pans. Since I had issues with throwing massive amounts of batter down the disposal, I filled them a bit too far–resulting in a wee cake resembling more of a blob, than a heart. Though oddly appropritate for my love life, it was not the most fetching. Luckily, taste more than won out. *whimper*
Oh, and in case you’re curious, shortening scares me–so I used real, unsalted butter. Also, I forgot to pick up more powdered sugar on my second grocery run … so when it came to frosting, I added whatever I had … which was maybe a cup. So. There you have it. And now, you have the recipe, too …

From Mable Hoffman’s Chocolate Cookery
H.P. Books, 1978
Ingredients:
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup shortening
¾ cup milk
¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
2 eggs
½ cup maraschino cherries, chopped
Red food color, several drops
Chocolate-cherry frosting (below)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 360° F (175° C); grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
- Melt chocolate; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Make a hole in the middle of the dry mixture and add shortening, milk, cherry juice and eggs.
- Beat on low until well blended; then beat on medium for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add melted chocolate, cherries and food coloring; beat another minute.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes; turn out on wire racks and cool completely.
- Frost with chocolate-cherry deliciousness, as follows…
Ingredients:
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
½ cup butter
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
½ cup maraschino cherries, chopped
Directions:
- Melt chocolate; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, cream butter.
- Add powdered sugar and cherry juice; beat until smooth.
- Fold in chocolate and cherries.
Cherry chocolate cake pdf