With Easter just around the corner, I was looking for an appropriate dessert for our holiday feast, and this Balkan-style Drunken Cherry Cake made with cherry compote seems perfect for the occasion. Even though it’s not a traditional Easter dessert, you can decorate it as such. I love drunken cherries in any shape, but this cake is a pure delight and makes a really pretty and decadent dessert!

HOW TO MAKE CHERRY COMPOTE?

Nowadays, you can buy fruit compote in any supermarket, but if you want to try making cherry compote, it’s actually really easy. The cherry season will be upon us soon and this is a great way to preserve your produce.

For a pound jar of cherry compote, you need 1.5 kg fresh cherries, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and water. In Bulgaria, we add a geranium leaf to the compote for extra flavouring. You don’t have to use it, but it does add a wonderful floral aroma to the compote. Use sterilised screw-top jars to pack the compote. Clip tops may pop open in the boiling water and cause waste of your product.

Wash the cherries well and remove their pips and stalks. Place them in the sterilised jars and add the sugar. Pour water into the jar, leaving appropriate headspace. If you want to use a geranium leaf, which I recommend, wash it well and drop it with the cherries. Tighten the lid on the jar and process the compote in a water bath for 20 minutes from the boiling point.

Processed compotes in jars keep well for up to one year. This compote syrup is thinner than the French-style compote and is perfect to add moisture to desserts. It also makes a wonderful drink. The fruit from the compote can be added to desserts or consumed straight out of the jar as a snack. 

If you are curious to try another Balkan-Style cake made with compote, view my Upside-Down Apricot Cake.

HOW TO MAKE MY DRUNKEN CHERRY CAKE?

📋 INGREDIENTS IN MY RECIPE

Cherry compote – Use the fruits from the compote to make drunken cherries and the syrup to add moisture to the cake. This cake can be made also with a sour cherry compote.

Flour – I don’t always have self-raising flour in my pantry and often make my cakes with all-purpose flour. Self-raising flour or cake flour works fine in this recipe. However, if you chose to use flour with added raising agent, you will need less baking powder.

Baking powder – When making the cake with plain (all-purpose) flour, add 2 very slightly heaped teaspoons (11g) of baking powder. If using self-raising or cake flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder should be enough.

Butter – Use unsalted butter or a baking block.

Cocoa powder – Using good quality cocoa powder is essential for the wonderfully rich taste of this cake.

Eggs – I recommend using free-range or organic medium-size eggs for the best result.

Sugar – White granulated sugar works well in this recipe.

Milk – Skimmed or full-fat milk are both suitable for this recipe.

Chocolate – You will need a small amount of dark chocolate for making the cake base and more for glazing. Cherries are well complemented with dark chocolate. Use chocolate that has at least 75% or more cocoa.

Alcohol – You can use French cognac, cherry liqueur, brandy or whisky to make the drunken cherries. Allow time for the cherries to soak in the alcohol before starting the cake. Leave them to soak in the alcohol overnight.

Cream – Both double or whipping cream is suitable for making the whipped cream layer in the cake. You can even use extra thick double cream that will not need whipping.

📖 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Making the Drunken Cherry Cake itself is not overly complicated, but it does take time and patience. Especially when it comes down to decorating the cake.

You will need a hand mixer or a stand mixer and a 22 cm cake tin/s for baking the cake base. I find using two springform cake tins with removable rings to work best for me.

STEP 1:MAKE DRUNKEN CHERRIES

Transfer the compote to a small sieve and collect the syrup into a cup or a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to keep overnight. Place the cherries into a deep plate and pour 50 ml of alcohol of your choice. Cover with plastic wrap and leave the cherries to soak in the alcohol overnight on your kitchen counter.

STEP 2: Make the cake BATTER

Preheat a standard oven to 150°C/302°F and a fan-assisted oven to 140°C/284°F and place a bowl of water in the bottom of the oven.

Making the cake batter requires a few easy steps, but first, take all chilled ingredients out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before using them because they need to get to room temperature.

Cut 100 ml of chocolate into small pieces and melt it in a water bath. Stir the chocolate regularly while it melts to ensure an even consistency.

Separate the egg whites and reserve the yolks.

In your mixer bowl, whip the egg whites for 5-10 minutes to form hard peaks.

Stir the baking powder and the cocoa powder with the flour and sieve them through a flour sifter into a bowl.

Using your mixer, break the butter into crumbs. Add the sugar and whisk for a few minutes to integrate them. Drop the egg yolks, one by one, while whisking continuously. Pour the milk and the cooled melted chocolate and continue whisking with your mixer until you have a homogenous mixture. Add the combined flour and cocoa powder and stir into the mixture, then whisk them with your mixer to make the batter.

Finally, scrape the stiff egg whites into the batter and, using a spatula, with light scraping movements from the bottom of the mixing bowl upwards, combine the egg whites into the batter, allowing air to enter into the mixture.

STEP 3: BAKE THE CAKE BASE

Line your cake tin/s with baking paper. Split the cake batter into two equal parts and transfer each part into a lined baking tin. Make the batter smooth on the surface with a cake knife, then place the cake tins in the middle of the preheated oven. I leave a small bowl with water in the bottom of the oven to add moisture while the cake is baking.

Baking the cake base in separate tins should take less time than baking it all in one tall tin. The first time, I made this cake with plain flour and baked the layers at a low temperature in separate tins, it took roughly 30 minutes. The second time, I used self-raising flour, the batter was slightly thicker and needed to cook longer. Cooking time depends on the moisture in the flour and your oven, so it may differ. Leave the layers to bake undisturbed for at least 30-35 minutes, then do a test with a wooden skewer to check the progress. 

To make the test, insert the wooden skewer in the centre of the cake, then pull it out. If the skewer comes out clean, your cake is ready. If it is still sticky to the touch, return it to the oven and bake longer.

STEP 4: whip the cream

Pour the heavy cream into a mixing bowl and add a few drops of vanilla essence. Whip the cream with your mixer for a couple of minutes until soft peaks form. If you accidentally overwhip the cream, add a little cold cream and fold it gently with a spatula to create a smooth texture. Alternatively, use extra thick double cream which is already whipped. Just stir the vanilla essence to distribute it evenly into the cream.

STEP 5: SYRUP THE CAKE BASE

Let the cake base cool in the baking tin/s for a few minutes. If baking the cake base in separate tins, you can pour the syrup to moisten them while still inside the baking tins. However, in this scenario, do not make them too wet because they will fall apart when moving them.

If making the cake base in one tall baking tin, you need to cut them into two slices now.

Alternatively, syrup the cake on your serving plate. I find this method much easier because you do not have to move the cake. Place the first cake base layer on the plate and tighten a baking ring around it, then pour a generous amount of compote syrup over it thoroughly. Ensure the cake base has absorbed the syrup evenly.

STEP 6: ASSEMBLE THE DRUNKEN CHERRY CAKE

You now have the first layer of the cake soaked with syrup and ready. Spread the whipped cream over it evenly. Fish the cherries out of the alcohol with a teaspoon and arrange them on top of the whipped cream layer. Cover the layer of cherries with the second slice of the cake base. Pour the rest of the compote syrup over the cake layer to make it moist evenly. Press with the palm of your hand on top of the assembled cake to make it even and remove air bubbles in the layers. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer the cake to the fridge. Let it chill for 15-20 minutes.

STEP 7: Make the ganache

Cut the chocolate into very small pieces. Heat the cream in a saucepan on the hob until hot and steaming, but don’t let it boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Lift the chocolate on the sides to allow hot cream under it and leave uncovered for 10 minutes until the chocolate is melted. Then, stir the mixture to a silky smooth consistency to make the ganache.

Pour half of the ganache, while still thin, onto the centre of the cake. Tilt the cake in all directions to glaze the top of the cake evenly. If you want to add some chocolate eggs or other decorations, add them before the ganache settles.

Leave the other half of the ganache to cool uncovered at room temperature until it’s thicker. Meanwhile, keep the cake in the fridge. When your ganache thickens, remove the ring and spread the ganache over the side of the cake with your cake knife. Place the cake in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

STEP 8: DECORATE THE CAKE

I made this cake for Easter and decorated it with a nest made with vermicelli noodles, dipped in chocolate, and with chocolate eggs. But you can decorate it to match your occasion.

To make the vermicelli nest, break dry noodles into smaller pieces and place them in a bowl. Pour melted chocolate over them and, using your hands, cover them in chocolate evenly. Then, shape them into a nest, leaving space in the middle for the chocolate eggs.

🍲 SERVE MY DRUNKEN CHERRY CAKE

To ensure your cake does not melt, keep it in the fridge. Chocolate cakes melt at room temperatures over 20 degrees, and the syrup in the cake starts dripping.

Chilled chocolate glazing may crack when cutting it. To ensure that doesn’t happen, dip your knife in hot water before cutting the slices.

My beautiful Drunken Cherry Chocolate Cake makes a fabulous dessert. It’s pretty rich, so you don’t serve big slices!

Bon Appetit! 👨‍🍳👨‍🍳👨‍🍳

FAQ

CAN YOU MAKE THE CAKE WITH FRESH CHERRIES?

You can use fresh cherries. Wash them well, remove the pips and the stalks and let the cherries soak in alcohol for a couple of days. Then, transfer the cherries and the alcohol to a saucepan and add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar. You can also add a tablespoon of orange zest to lift the flavours. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the cherries are soft. Ensure that you don’t overcook the cherries and they must keep their shape.

DO I NEED TO SYRUP THE CAKE BASE?

Although it is possible to make the cake without the compote syrup, I would not recommend it. Syruping the base will add not only moisture to the cake but wonderful flavours.

CAN I DECORATE THIS CAKE FOR A DIFFERENT OCCASION?

Of course, you can. When it comes down to decorating this cake, there are so many different options. You can cover the cake in a light-coloured ganache, decorate it with whipped cream roses and arrange drunken cherries, dipped in dark chocolate, or pretty flowers on the surface of the cake. If you are more experienced in cake decorating, spread white glazing over the cake and use dark chocolate ganache to create beautiful drips over the icing. This is just another example of my Drunken Cherry Cake.