Delish Black Forest Bundt Cake

I’ll admit it: I make a mean Delish Black Forest Bundt Cake and an even messier kitchen while doing it. This cake is the grown-up cherry-on-top energy drink of desserts—chocolate cake that knows how to party with cherries and cream, but also has the dignity of a Bundt pan. It’s special because it looks fancy enough to impress the neighbors you barely like, but is forgiving enough that your catastrophes can hide behind a dollop of whipped cream.

Once, while trying to be clever, I told my husband to “just taste the batter” and he managed to knock over the bowl, step in the cherry filling, and then cheerfully ask if we could call it modern art. The kids filmed it for posterity (and blackmail material), and I learned two things: 1) always have extra cherries, and 2) never let him near the mixer when he’s hangry. I also ruin at least one recipe per week, so if this cake comes out pretty, it’s a miracle—and I’ll take credit anyway.

Time-Saving Hacks

– Use store-bought cherry pie filling instead of macerating fresh cherries. Yes, a little cheat, but also no sticky hands.
– Swap a stand mixer for a whisk and some vigorous swearing—saves a dish and doubles as cardio.
– Line the Bundt pan with a parchment sling or use nonstick spray and flour—less scrubbing later, which is my real motivation.

Serving Ideas

– Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and watch everyone pretend they’re doing “portion control.”
– Pair with black coffee in the morning and something stronger at night (wine if the kids drove you nuts).
– Dust lightly with cocoa powder for drama, or skip it and call it minimalist.
– For holidays, add toasted almonds on top to look extra adult and slightly crunchy.

What to Serve It With

– Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or mascarpone—pick your level of decadence.
– Fresh cherries or a quick cherry compote if you want to be impressive without trying too hard.
– A pot of strong coffee or a cheeky glass of kirsch or port for the people who like their desserts to have opinions.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t overfill the Bundt pan—this is not a souffle. Leave room for the cake to rise unless you enjoy volcano cakes.
– Grease the pan thoroughly. I learned this after producing a Bundt-shaped mosaic in the sink.
– Test doneness with a skewer in the thickest part; if it comes out with crumbs, you’re golden. If it’s batter, you get more time—celebrate with a hand-cleaning dance.
– If your cherries are watery, drain them or the cake gets soggy. Not the soggy you want.

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh. If you’re planning ahead, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a cake container to keep the whipped cream from turning into a sad science experiment.

✔Variations and Substitutions

Swap whatever you want—sugar ↔ honey, soy sauce ↔ tamari, or skip steps and call it “deconstructed.” It still counts. Try dark chocolate instead of semisweet for a deeper flavor, or almond extract if you like your cakes to taste like a pastry shop conspiracy.

Delish Black Forest Bundt Cake

A rich chocolate bundt cake layered with cherries and whipped cream.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 0.75 cups cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 cup cherries, pitted
• ▢ 2 cups heavy cream

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
• Add buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Fold in the cherries gently.
• Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top.
• Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
• Whip the heavy cream and serve over each slice of cake.

Notes

For an extra touch, top with chocolate shavings!