Make Ahead
Sam's Favorite Chocolate Cake With Cherry Jam
Popular on Food52
76 Reviews
Craig B.
January 17, 2021
I made this cake yesterday, and it is a new fave! It is decadently rich and the sour cherry jam adds a nice mild tang to compliment the sweetness of the cake. Honestly, I was apprehensive about the sour cherry jam at first but threw caution to the wind and went with it, and I think those who are also apprehensive should too. Texture-wise, it is moist and slightly dense, but maybe I over mixed it. Either way it is delicious. This cake plates beautifully too.
mieletsel
February 14, 2015
Shoot. I don't have 2, 9-inch pans. Has anyone tried baking all the batter in a 9-inch, 10-inch and 10.5-inch pan and splitting it when cool?
EmilyNunn
May 31, 2014
Oh, I love this story so much! Unforgettable. And I can't wait to try the cake, which looks fabulous. Congrats on the reunion, and cheers to the future!
Memere
May 26, 2014
My mother never baked chocolate cake, yet she did white and always used a preserve or jam that we made from flats of fruit every year. We are from the tip of Maine, so close to the border, we can walk across to Canada. I do not know when this all began but I remember this when I was around eleven (now 65+) . She always made a boiled frosting like a light marshmallow. It was sweet but she created beautiful swirls. I used a marmalade, I love the flavor of both together. Thanks for sharing.
Cynthia D.
March 20, 2014
This is delicious -- dark, deep, not too sweet, and lusciously moist. May well become my go-to chocolate cake recipe. I used plain supermarket-brand cherry preserves, which worked fine, but next time I will probably try raspberry instead. I used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate chips for both cake and frosting. I prepped the pans with Crisco, parchment, Crisco again over the parchment, then a dusting of cocoa powder. I did not refrigerate the cake. It has sat out on the counter for two days with no ill effects ... and very little of it is left!
Megan
March 17, 2014
Wow- a lot of comments on this cake! I made this for valentine's day. I loved it the first day. Great texture. Thought it might become my go-to chocolate cake. It is not terribly sweet- I might play around a bit with the proportions here if I were more of a baker. Used sour cherry jam which was delicious with the chocolate. However, I didn't love it as much after a night in the fridge. It really seemed to be best on day 1 (and I am big leftover cake for breakfast type of person).
Debra
March 16, 2014
Made this for my grand-daughter, who LOVES chocolate.....She hated it.
I did not like it, my daughter did not like it. Even my grandson.....who usually eats ANYTHING....Did not like this cake. This was my FIRST time making a cake that NO ONE liked. But it looked GREAT.....LOL
I did not like it, my daughter did not like it. Even my grandson.....who usually eats ANYTHING....Did not like this cake. This was my FIRST time making a cake that NO ONE liked. But it looked GREAT.....LOL
Mommazilla
March 15, 2014
Made this today. I thought it could've been a little sweeter but I like sweet. It's very good though, don't get me wrong. I also used raspberry jam instead of sour cherry and that really made the cake for me. One thing I worried about was the glaze. I had never made or used a glaze. I didn't know if I should let it cool or not. So if you're where I was, I let it cool for several minutes. Basically until I could stir it and steam didn't come off. And I did keep stirring so it didn't crust too much on top. Then I poured it in the middle and let it go over the edges. Helping where it didn't with an offset spatula. And I did nothing to my pans. I just ran a rubber spatula around the edges and worked my way under from there. They came out beautifully. And so did my cake :-) it looked like I bought it from a bakery. thanks for the recipe!
Ruth L.
March 14, 2014
I am going to make this today...quick question: greased cake pans....greased and floured....or completely unprepared pans as the recipe says.. ? Can't help but think that could lead to disaster. Anyone?
simple, Y.
March 31, 2014
Grease yes, flour optional. I also put pergament paper on the bottom for ease.
Toni
March 11, 2014
I am going to make this cake for a group at my church. It sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Roxie
March 11, 2014
I meant if in a hurry or don't have the ingredients listed here, you can use actually any flavors that complement each other, such as a chocolate box cake and pie filling (only these 2 ingredients, no eggs, oil or water) and bake according to the directions on the box. I think this recipe is nice, but more fuss. It was not meant to be nasty. Take a pill and stop being so defensive. If you think it is not healthy, well you don't have to try it.
richard
March 11, 2014
you people are nothing but a bunch of jerks,by the rude reply's that you have written in the comments section
Arthur D.
March 11, 2014
Any suggestions for a substitute for "Sour Cherry Jam".
Not going to find that around here.
Not going to find that around here.
Steve K.
March 10, 2014
@Mike - you want to get cream you'd use for making whipped cream. It will say "heavy whipping cream" or something similar to that. You should be able to find it in the dairy section. It comes in half-pints, pints and sometimes quarts.
Mike M.
March 10, 2014
rookie here... it says, heavy cream. what am I looking for in the store and where?
Leroy W.
March 11, 2014
Dairy Department - look for a container that looks like what your milk came in when you went to elementary school. It may say 'heavy' or 'whipping' cream - they are the same.
Elizabeth N.
March 10, 2014
In regards to Stephen Hood's and Lagunalady's comment about which chocolate to use. On this particular page, where you can leave comments, the written directions use semi sweet chocolate, like in the list of ingredients. On the first page I saw it on (yahoo home page), the written directions use bitter sweet chocolate although the ingredients list semi sweet. Didn't know which was the typo. I assume bittersweet was.
John
March 10, 2014
I am not a cook. Do not understand step 3. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract. What is done with this mixture?
Sally H.
March 10, 2014
You alternate mixing in the dry ingredients and the chocolate mixture! Just as the instructions says.
John F.
March 11, 2014
Actually, John is right. The instructions about what to do with the creamed butter and sugar are missing, so it's difficult to just do "as the instructions say".
Sam
March 10, 2014
Sounds yummy. I've been using jam with cake for years, white, chocolate and pound cake. Use any cake recipe you like, 2 layers. I use raspberry jam. Spread jam on bottom layer then top with a layer of browned pie crust, trimmed to fit. (Pillsbury already crust is ok) layer with jam. Put on top layer and frost.
ghainskom
February 28, 2014
This cake is like a giant brownie. Made it today using selfmade cherry marmelade and kiddies as well as adults loooooved it! Mine took almost an hour to bake, though.
Roxie
February 28, 2014
How about a chocolate cake mix, add a can of cherry pie filling, mix with spoon and bake according to cake mix in 9x13" or 2 layer pans?
Teresa
March 10, 2014
Foodie, nobody made you read about this cake. I am sure you can find a website more helpful to you. Go away.
Lagunalady
March 10, 2014
Foodie--I'm sorry, but which recipe are you referring to? Yes, the recipe contains sugar, but the rest of the ingredients are hardly what I would call chemicals. This isn't a recipe for a raspberry jello with canned fruit cocktail...
Bellano
March 11, 2014
I'm certain that Foodie's comment is in response to Roxie's snarky post about using a boxed cake mix and not in regard to this recipe.
Stephen H.
February 27, 2014
Step 2 says to add the cocoa and 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, but recipe calls for only semi-sweet chocolate. Which is it?
Lagunalady
March 1, 2014
The recipe reads, "cocoa and semisweet chocolate"--do you need new glasses?
Smartblond
March 10, 2014
You can probably use either but one has more sugar in it so you would have to adjust for sweetness unless you are not picky about sweetness
Elizabeth N.
March 10, 2014
In regards to Stephen Hood's and Lagunalady's comment about which chocolate to use. On this particular page, where you can leave comments, the written directions use semi sweet chocolate, like in the list of ingredients. On the first page I saw it on (yahoo home page), the written directions use bitter sweet chocolate although the ingredients list semi sweet. Didn't know which was the typo. I assume bittersweet was
Svetlana
February 22, 2014
Lovely cake, I used to make elaborate German and French cakes for years till I moved from Europe to Midwest. This skills were lost on my colleagues and friends, they wanted brownies and fudge. This cake is like great intermediate step between brownies and Black Forest cake. I just made one modification to it, since I don't like the extend of sweetness that Americans can take, I used just one cup of sugar. Also for the frosting you can microwave it instead of using the stove, but be careful not to burn it. The dough can be made in a mixer, just add the ingredients in the right order. The pan doesn't have to be greaced, which is nice.
Karen V.
February 21, 2014
Cocoa? As in cocoa powder? Please specify. Thanks. Would live to make it but I don't want to add the wrong ingredient.
Mary
February 20, 2014
In this day and age, hasn't anyone been to a high end bakery----you are slaves to the system!!!
petalpusher
February 11, 2017
For those of us who don't live near a 'high end bakery' this recipe blog site is priceless with what they share. Being self sufficient in the kitchen is no where near being a 'slave to the system'. You may not enjoy baking, but you'll always be known as the person who ' brought the store bought cake'. We don't care what end it came from. And fiy this recipe is a no brainer to prepare!
Ruth M.
February 20, 2014
Looks amazing, think I might make this for my own birthday soon! Just wondering, what percentage of cocoa does the chocolate have? I live in Europe, where chocolate is labelled according to cocoa content, rather than bittersweet or semisweet. Thanks!
Josh L.
February 20, 2014
Semi Sweet is usually around 15%
http://www.ecolechocolat.com/chocolate-flavor.php
http://www.ecolechocolat.com/chocolate-flavor.php
Ruth M.
February 20, 2014
Ah, thank you! I would have expected high cocoa content, you saved me a mistake!
fhp
February 12, 2014
Bon Appetit says "Bittersweet and semisweet are the chocolates most frequently called for in baking, and can be used interchangeably, although bittersweet chocolate has a deeper flavor."
tastysweet
February 12, 2014
Place the cocoa and 4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate? Recipe calls for semi sweet. Which or doesn't matter?
Pascale P.
February 12, 2014
I need to make this cake. It sounds great. I LOVE the addition of the cherry preserves. YUM
Libby D.
February 12, 2014
Step #2 says to add 4 oz. of bittersweet chocolate, but the recipe only lists semi-sweet. Which is it?
ATG117
February 10, 2014
As a child, one of my favorite cakes from a local cafe was chocolate with sour cherry jam and whipped cream with cherry jam folded into the cream. This reminds me of that in theory. Can't wait to try it.
sweet E.
January 26, 2010
thank you! I'm glad to have the opportunity to share both with the food52 community.
mrslarkin
January 26, 2010
What a lovely story. And a great cake!
Clara
March 10, 2014
This story was very touching to me, and I am so happy for you that you did get to reunite with your father after forty years. Wanting to make the chocolate cake for you half brother was a good thing to do to let him know you care about him and want to establish a new relationship with him also. We need more people like you in this world who cares about others. I pray you all will have many happy visits together in the future.
I am going to try making this cake as soon as I get the rest of the ingredients. Thank you for posting it here for all of us to see! Claire
I am going to try making this cake as soon as I get the rest of the ingredients. Thank you for posting it here for all of us to see! Claire
See what other Food52ers are saying.