If you're looking for a chocolatey, fudgy, rich dessert, this Flourless Chocolate Cherry Cake is the answer.
It makes a great Christmas day dessert as you can make it ahead, store it at room temperature (no need to take up that valuable fridge or freezer space!) and serve it warm or cold.
It also happens to be gluten free.
With flavours of a black forest tart mixed with the fudgy texture of chocolate brownies, this gorgeously chocolatey cake has all of my favourite flavours!
It stays moist for days, due to the ground almonds, so it's great to make ahead.
📋 What do we need?
You can use fresh, frozen or even tinned cherries for this recipe. Check out the notes in the recipe card for more info.
🔪 How to make this chocolate and cherry cake
**Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post**.
- Cream the butter and sugar together, then add in vanilla and almond extract.
- Continue to mix, and add in 4 eggs, one at a time. The mixture will look like it's split at this point, but DON'T WORRY, all will be fine!
- Fold in ground almonds, cocoa powder and baking powder, then stir in melted chocolate and chocolate chips (oh yeah - we're going triple chocolate!!).
- Transfer it all to a flan tin and press in the cherries. Then bake until the centre is set and a skewer comes out clean.
Once out of the oven, mix together a little cherry jam with a splash of water and brush over the warm cake for a beautiful sticky, shiny glaze.
📺 Recipe Video
Watch How to make this AMAZING gluten free chocolate cherry cake.
wprm-recipe-video
👩🍳PRO TIP Serve this Flourless Chocolate Cherry Cake cold with a nice cup of coffee, or slightly warm (a few seconds in the microwave, or wrap slices in foil and place in a medium oven for 5 minutes) with some thick cream.
I love to swirl a little cherry jam into the cream and serve with a few fresh cherries.
🍽️ More gluten free desserts?
I have quite a few gluten free desserts on my site - here are a few of my favourites:
- Turkish Delight Brownies
- Cherry and Almond Cake (a vanilla version of this recipe)
- Amaretti Cookies
- White Chocolate and Pistachio Blondies (always go down a storm!)
- Orange Drizzle Cake
- Pecan Caramel Cheesecake - no bake!
A delicious gluten free cake that everyone will love!
🍲 More Sweet Treats
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Chocolate Cherry Cake
Ingredients
- 225 g ( 1 cup minus 1 tbsp) unsalted butter - , room temperature, cut into chunks
- 200 g (1 cup) golden caster (or granulated) sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 4 medium eggs
- 200 g (1 ⅔ cups) ground almonds - (course almond meal)
- 50 g (½ cup) cocoa powder - (usually gluten free, but best to check if required)
- 1 tsp baking powder - (ensure it's gluten free if required)
- 100 g (3.5oz) dark chocolate (70% is good), melted
- 50 g (⅓ cup) chocolate chips
- 300 g fresh or frozen black cherries - - pitted (see tip in notes section)
- 2 tbsp Cherry Jam
To Serve:
- Thick whipped cream
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F and lightly grease a 23cm diameter loose-bottomed flan tin.
- Place the butter in a large bowl with the sugar. Whisk with an electric whisk (or in a stand mixer) until fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add in the vanilla extract and almond extract, then whisk again whilst adding in the eggs, one at a time. It will look like the mixture has split at this point, but don't worry, it will come back together.
- Fold in the ground almonds, cocoa powder and baking powder.
- Fold in the melted chocolate and chocolate chips until thoroughly combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared flan tin. Level the mixture with the back of a spoon.
- Slice half of the cherries in half and leave half of them whole.
- Arrange the whole and halved cherries on top of the cake mixture. Arrange the sliced ones cut-side-up. Push the cherries in to the mixture slightly.
- Place in the oven to cook for 40-50 minutes - until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Take out of the oven.
- Mix the cherry jam with 2 tbsp of cold water. Brush on top of the warm cake. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 20 mins, before removing and placing on a rack to cool further.
- Serve topped with thick whipped cream. I like to serve it slightly warm, with a little of the cherry jam swirled into the cream and a few fresh cherries to decorate. You can serve this cake warm (tastes great with ice cream) or room temperature.
Video
✎ Notes
You can warm individual slices up in the microwave for a few seconds if you'd like to serve it warm. Can I freeze it? Yes, cool, cover and freeze the cake. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then allow to come up to room temperature before serving (or warm slices in the microwave for a few seconds if you'd like to serve it warm). Nutritional Information is per serving, without serving suggestion of whipped cream.
Nutrition
This recipe was first posted in March 2017. Updated in November 2020 with new photos and a few tweaks to the recipe to make it even easier.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Margaret Cameron says
I made this cake was delicious but had to bake for 1hour and was a little hard round the edges!!
Michelle says
Hi Nicky,
This looks so delicious, thanks for sharing it. I would love to make it for Christmas, but I can’t find cherries where we live. Can this cake be made with another fruit? I am glad it’s gluten-free as one of my sons can’t tolerate gluten.
Janice says
Lovely, chocolate treat, cherries a pleasure, going down well with family
Thank you for this recipe
Jenny Saward says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I made this yesterday as a dessert for dinner with guests (I know that it’s risky trying a new recipe when you are entertaining, but it paid off!). It was easy to make (I adapted the method for the Thermomix) and everyone really enjoyed it - it is moist, fudgey and delicious! And I have plenty left to enjoy ... not sure that that’s a good thing at this time of year.
Eve says
Made this Christmas eve. Thank-you. Delivered portions with Christmas lunches to family and friends. They loved it. Although next time I'll take it out the oven a bit sooner.
rachel says
This looks delicious and a must to try for my husband who enjoys black forest cake. He needs a change.
Jackie Haze says
What can i use if there is an almond allergy ?
Thank you
Jackie
James Goacher says
I have a theory.
You saw the list of ingredients, did some head work to imagine what it would be like and then came up with some Cock & Bull story of been in contact, etc. But Gacey figured out what you were doing and you had to take her along as well.
Whatever Deity you have regard for, confessions will be needed. Ha Ha Then you will have o eat "Humble Pie".
I don't have a Sweet Tooth but I like Cherries and that looks good.
Maria says
Thank you for sharing, wishing you well and take extra care!!
Caroline says
I love the sound of this cake! Pinning right away as it is the perfect cake to make for my family this Christmas - I love black forest flavours so this will be a real treat. After seeing your beautiful photos in my inbox I had to click through and get the recipe - many thanks for sharing x
Catherine says
My son made this for me at the weekend, I don't eat many cakes, but this one was beautiful. So tasty, now going to attempt to make it for myself.
Blogtastic Food says
I am totally salivating over how good that looks!!! I adore your blog, have a great day (:
Julia @ HappyFoods Tube says
Happy Birthday! Sounds like you had a wonderful day and love the photo-styling workshop gift you got! I've made flourless cakes only a few times but looking at yours I am going to give it a go again. Looks sooo good! 🙂
moira says
Looks yummy