Cherry Garcia Cake

Usually I get an idea for a cake and by the time I actually make it, it is something completely different.

The theme for this month’s Clandestine Cake Club in Reading was cakes inspired by Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavors. I wanted Peanut Butter Cup, but it was already taken. 

I couldn't decide between Chunky Monkey and Cherry Garcia so I gave the decision to another and she said I should go with Cherry Garcia!

Originally I wanted to make this cake as a cherry chocolate chip layer cake, with cherry buttercream and a ganche topping.

However this is what I made instead! I had decided that I didn't want to do a layer cake and at first I thought of making it in a loaf tin, but then after talking to another cakey person online settled on a tube pan.

Also, since it was based on an ice cream flavor, I wanted to replicate ice cream cakes I had from Dairy Queen in my childhood. They had like a cookie crumb middle layer that I loved.

That’s why I attempted to add a streusel in the middle and top. It just sort of baked into the cake so it didn't give the affect I was after, but it still turned out amazing!

I’m going to apologize for the inconstancy in the recipe I used a base American recipe that used cups, before adding in and adjusting it in grams. Then my littlest person messed with my timer so I had to guess a little bit on how long it was in the oven. I explain more below!

Cherry Garcia Cake:

1 ½ sticks or 171g unsalted butter, room temp

1 ½ cups sugar 

3 large eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla paste

1 ¼ cups of cherry yogurt

2 ½ cups of cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

50g dark chocolate, chopped

½ cup frozen cherries, chopped (keep them frozen)

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas5 and grease the tube liberally with butter before lightly dusting it with flour. Tap out the excess flour.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each time they are completely incorporated. Then add the vanilla, before adding the cherry yogurt.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl and mix until just incorporated. Then fold in the dark chocolate and frozen cherries.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Streusel

¼ cup light brown sugar

½ cup plain flour

50g dark chocolate, chopped

½ cup frozen cherries, chopped (keep them frozen)

85g cold unsalted butter, chopped

In a bowl rub the sugar, flour, and butter together until it resembles breadcrumbs then fold in the chocolate and cherries.

Place half of the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle over half of the streusel before topping with the rest of the batter and rest of the streusel.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. I set my timer for 45 minutes because I always check my cakes 5 minutes before the recommended time. But my time was tampered with, so I had to guess when 45 minutes had passed. I think my cake was in for at least 60 minutes if not five minutes more.

Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before removing it, however my pan was a spring release so I released mine after about 10 minutes and making sure the cake wasn’t stuck to the sides. Then carefully transfer to a wire rack

While it’s cooling make the ganche:

100g of dark chocolate

½ cup of double cream

Melt the chocolate and cream in a bowl over a simmering pan of water. Gently stir it while it’s melting until it becomes think and glossy.

Once the cake is cool, pour over the cake and use a spatula to smooth it out. 

notes: See what my fellow cake clubbers made! How I convert butter and how I make cake flour!