Chocolate, Vanilla Cherry & Mascarpone Layer Cake with Chocolate Ganache
A decadent layered dessert with moist chocolate sponge, vanilla-infused cherries, a creamy mascarpone-cream cheese filling, and a glossy chocolate ganache. Perfect for celebrations, this cake delivers rich cocoa, tangy fruit, and velvety cream in every slice.
- Prep Time: 40–45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
- Total Time: 2.5–3 hours (including cooling and assembly)
- Yield: 10–12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
250ml (1 cup) buttermilk
185ml (3/4 cup) mild extra virgin olive oil
15g (1 tbsp) vanilla extract
2 large eggs
220g (1 cup firmly packed) brown sugar
110g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
185g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
75g (3/4 cup) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
185ml (3/4 cup) hot coffee or hot water
250g frozen pitted cherries
60g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
250g cream cheese
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
110g (2/3 cup) icing sugar
250g mascarpone
200g dark chocolate, chopped
200ml heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla, eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Sift in flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix gently until combined. Add hot coffee and whisk until smooth. Divide between pans and bake 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
- For cherries: In a small saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat 4–5 minutes until sugar dissolves and cherries release juices. Cool completely and drain well.
- For filling: Beat cream cheese, vanilla bean paste, and icing sugar until smooth. Fold in mascarpone gently until combined. Chill until needed.
- For ganache: Heat cream until steaming. Pour over chopped chocolate and let sit 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and glossy. Cool to a spreadable consistency.
- Assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with half the mascarpone filling and half the cherries. Top with second cake layer and repeat with remaining filling and cherries.
- Finish: Pour or spread ganache over top, letting it drip slightly down the sides. Chill briefly to set before slicing.
Notes
For extra cherry flavor, stir in 1–2 tbsp cherry liqueur after cooking the cherries.
Use fresh cherries if in season; pit and halve them before cooking.
White chocolate ganache can be used for a sweeter finish.
Add chopped toasted hazelnuts or almonds between layers for crunch.
For a gluten-free cake, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
If skipping coffee, replace with hot water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 cake)
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
