Drunken Cherry Chocolate Cake

By KimberlySeverino

Ingredients

• ● For the Filling:
• ● 1 Chocolate Cake Mix
• o 4 cups (1 lb.) fresh pitted cherries
• o 1/2 cup rum
• o 1/4 cup cold water
• ● For the Frosting:
• o 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temp
• o 3 cups powdered sugar
• o 1/4 tsp salt
• o 16 oz. (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened to room temp and cut into 16 pieces
• o 4 Tbsp. of the reserved cherry/rum syrup
• ● To Decorate:
• o Semi-sweet chocolate chips to create shaved chocolate
• o A handful of fresh cherries for the top

Preparation

Step 1

● Booze up your cherries:
o Rinse, drain and pit your 1 lb. of cherries. Roughly chop your pitted cherries and place them in a medium bowl with 1/2 cup golden rum.
o Let sit at room temp for 1 hour then drain cherries. Keep both the cherries and the syrup.
● Make the Chocolate Cake. Once cool, slice in half to make two layers.
● Make the Frosting:
o Mix the 2 sticks of butter with 3 cups powdered sugar and salt on low speed or until combined (1 min)
o Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is fluffy (2 min).
o Add cream cheese 1-piece at a time and mix until combined.
o Add 4 Tbsp. reserved cherry liquid,
▪ Reserve the remaining cherry syrup.
o Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.

Assembling the Cake:
● Stir 1/4 cup cold filtered water into the remaining cherry rum syrup.
● Generously brush the bottom layer with the cherry rum syrup.
● Cover the top with frosting and top with the chopped boozy cherries.
● Refrigerate your unfrosted cake for 15-20 min to let it rest, then frost the top and sides.