Cardinal Cherry Surprise!

Cardinal Cherry Surprise is a Cake that I made for someone. She gave it to her husband for fathers day its my own version of a black forest cake.

This is the inside yes its a heart!

Cherry Cardinal Surprise Recipe


The first part the Cherry Surprise.

2(8 oz) blocks of cream cheese at room temp
1 cup halved maraschino cherries
2 Tablespoon cherry extract
1-1/2 cup of white sugar

in mixer on med speed beat Cream Cheese and sugar till creamy.

add cherry extract to mixture and beat for 2 mins

If you like cherry pie filling you can use that just cut back on the sugar that you beat in by 1/2 a cup. Using Maraschino Cherries is a bit easier for me. if you get them with steams simply de-steam them cut in half and then FOLD in Cherry halves! (do NOT beat in because they will get squished and not be whole cherry halves anymore.)

sit in fridge to cool till cakes are cooled completely!

*Note: it you would like the ice the top of your cake like I did and the inside layers you may but you will have to double the cherry surprise filling recipe to have enough

Chocolate Cake

2 cups boiling water
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 - 9 inch round cake pans. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at time, then stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool. 

Once cakes and Filling are completely cooled the fun begins. I used a simple homemade choc butter cream icing recipe, but you can use white too. Or if your really into cherry make a cherry butter cream. Butter cream works best on this cake! Depending on how many layers you want your cake to be is up to you. This cake recipe makes 3- 9 inch round cake pans but there is a lot you can do with it. I will tell you it is one of the better Choc. Cake Recipes that are out there!


I had the Idea for the next time I make this cake. I thought that I would cut the 3 Cakes in half diagonally making 6- 9 inch thinner layers and I would alternate with fillings! Starting from bottom to top- cake layer, cherry surprise filling, cake layer, layer of cherry halves, Cake layer, cherry surprise filling, cake, halved cherries, cake, cherry surprise, cake, then Ice with any butter cream Icing and decorate with halved or whole cherries!


YUMMY it will disappear before you know it!