Mary Berry Chocolate and Cherry Cake Easy Bake Recipe

 

If you’ve ever walked into a kitchen and caught that warm, chocolatey smell drifting from the oven, you’ll know it can stop you in your tracks. The first time I baked a mary bary chocolate and cherry cake, it was for a “bring something sweet” get-together. I arrived proud… and then watched my cherries sink straight to the bottom like little red stones. Everyone was kind about it, but I went home determined to figure out why it happened—and how to fix it next time.

That’s exactly what this guide is for: a friendly, confidence-building, genuinely doable step-by-step baking method of that helps you bake a cake with rich cocoa flavor, juicy glacé cherries, and a soft sponge texture—without overcomplicating anything.

And yes, we’re keeping it practical: clear steps, simple swaps, plus the “why” behind the key moves so you can get that moist chocolate crumb every time.

Mary Berry chocolate cherry cake recipe: what makes this bake so loved

 

A great classic British  bake has two jobs: it must taste amazing, and it must feel comforting. This cake ticks both boxes. The chocolate sponge is deep and cosy, while the cherries add sweet, fruity pops that keep every bite interesting. It’s the kind of cake that works for a quiet cup of tea, but it can also be dressed up for birthdays.

What I love most is that it’s not fussy. You’re using simple ingredients, you don’t need fancy decorating skills, and the result still feels special—like a proper British baking classics moment.

When using the single-tin “easy bake” approach (one round tin, quick mix, cherries folded in), the ingredient list and method closely match common Mary-Berry-inspired versions online Source.

Mary Berry chocolate cake with cherries Ingredients 

Core cake ingredients

 

Use these at room temp where possible:

• self-raising flour (gives the sponge lift without extra effort)
• caster sugar (dissolves quickly; helps keep the crumb tender)
• unsalted butter (richer flavour; easier to control salt)
• room temperature eggs (mix in smoothly; helps prevent curdling)
• cocoa powder (your main chocolate hit; builds that rich cocoa flavor)
• baking powder (extra boost for a lighter rise)
• milk (loosens the batter so it bakes evenly)
• juicy glacé cherries (classic choice; sweet, bright, and dependable)

This ingredient set (including the milk-added batter and glacé cherries) aligns with the popular easy-bake version Source.

Quick note on cherries

 

Glacé cherries are classic because they’re sweet and don’t release too much juice (when dried well). If you use fresh or frozen cherries, you can do it—but you’ll need to manage moisture (I’ll show you how later).

Mary Berry cherry chocolate sponge cake equipment 

 

You don’t need a professional kitchen. You just need the basics:

• 20cm/8-inch round tin
• baking paper
• mixing bowl
• whisk (hand whisk or electric)
• spatula
• sieve (for cocoa/flour—worth it)
• greased cake tin set up properly
• a cooling rack for the finish

Prep steps that save the day:

• Line the base of the tin with baking paper.
• Grease the sides well.
• Preheat the oven before you start mixing (so the batter doesn’t sit around losing air).
• Get your eggs and butter out early so they’re not fridge-cold.

 

 Method of chocolate and cherry cake recipe

 

This is the part you came for: the full step-by-step baking method in plain, workable steps.

Step 1: set your oven temperature guide

 

• 180°C conventional / 160°C fan / Gas 4

Step 2: prep cherries so they don’t sink

 

• Rinse glacé cherries briefly (removes sticky syrup).
• Dry them really well with kitchen paper.
• Toss with 1–2 tsp flour (taken from your measured flour).

That flour coating gives the cherries “grip” in the batter—this was the fix that changed my results overnight.

Step 3: cream butter and sugar

 

Beat butter and sugar until lighter in colour and fluffy. This builds air → lighter sponge.

Step 4: add eggs slowly

 

Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each. If it looks like it might split, add a spoon of flour and keep going.

Step 5: sift in dry ingredients

 

Sift flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Then fold gently. Don’t beat aggressively here—overmixing can toughen the crumb.

Step 6: loosen with milk

 

Add milk gradually until the batter drops off the spoon easily (a soft, “dropping” consistency). This helps avoid a dense middle and supports that soft sponge texture.

Step 7: fold in cherries

 

Fold the cherries through gently so they’re evenly spread.

Step 8: bake

 

Pour into the tin, level the top, and bake about 35–40 minutes. Check at 35 minutes:

• If a skewer comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs), it’s done.

Step 9: cool properly

 

Cool 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a cooling rack.

This one-tin method (including cooling guidance) matches the easy recipe approach Source.

Mary Berry easy chocolate cake Mixing Tips 

 

If you want a beginner friendly baking recipe that tastes like you’ve baked for years, focus on these “small” things:

• Butter must be soft (not melted).
• Eggs at room temp mix in smoother.
• Sift cocoa—cocoa lumps are real and annoying.
• Fold, don’t thrash, once flour is in.
• Don’t overbake: most “dry cake” problems are simply 5–10 minutes too long in the oven.

Also, if your batter looks thick, it probably needs a touch more milk. That’s how you protect a moist chocolate crumb.

Chocolate and cherry traybake Recipe Convert This Into An Easy Traybake

 

Want a quick weekend baking idea that slices neatly for lunchboxes or a bake sale? Turn it into a traybake.

How to adapt:

• Use a lined traybake tin (roughly 30x20cm / 12x8in).
• Spread batter evenly so it bakes level.
• Bake for less time: start checking around 25 minutes.

Traybakes cool faster too, which is great when you need something you can slice and serve quickly.

How to Guarantee a Tender Crumb Moist Chocolate Cherry Cake

 

If your goal is the best chocolate cherry cake, the texture matters as much as flavour. Here’s a simple troubleshooting guide:

If the cake is dry

 

• Likely causes: overbaked, oven runs hot, batter too stiff.
• Fix next time: check earlier, add milk until batter is looser, don’t bake “just in case.”

If it sinks in the middle

 

• Likely causes: oven door opened too early, underbaked centre, too much liquid.
• Fix next time: don’t open for first 25 minutes; test doneness properly.

If cherries sink

 

• Likely causes: cherries too wet, no flour coating, batter too thin.
• Fix next time: dry cherries well + flour toss.

These are the details that separate an okay cake from a crowd-pleasing dessert.

Cherry and chocolate cake from scratch: cherry choices

 

For a true cherry and chocolate cake from scratch, you get to choose your cherry style:

• Glacé cherries: classic, sweet, stable in baking.
• Fresh cherries: amazing flavour, but must be pitted and dried well.
• Frozen cherries: thaw, drain, and pat dry—otherwise they leak juice.
• Tinned cherries: drain very well; consider chopping and drying.

If using fresh/frozen, add a spoon of extra flour if the batter seems looser than usual. That helps keep structure.

why the cocoa paste method makes cakes taste deeper

In one well-known celebration-style version, the cocoa powder is mixed with boiling water first to form a paste. It sounds odd, but it’s clever: it “blooms” the cocoa, helping it taste darker and more intense.

That method, plus a layered filling and ganache, appears in Mary Berry’s celebration-style chocolate-and-cherry cake Source.

If you want the simplest bake, you don’t have to do it. However, if you’re chasing that bold, bakery-style chocolate hit, it’s a strong upgrade.

Serving ideas For Classic British chocolate cherry cake

 

This cake shines as a traditional tea time cake—but it’s flexible.

Easy serving ideas:

• Dust with icing sugar for a simple finish.
• Serve with softly whipped cream.
• Add fresh cherries on the side when they’re in season.
• Warm a slice slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream for an afternoon tea dessert that turns into a pudding-style treat.

It’s also a lovely option for festive chocolate cake season—because cherries just feel celebratory.

Homemade chocolate cherry cake storage, freezing, and make-ahead tips

 

For a reliable simple homemade cake recipe, storage matters:

• Room temp (airtight): 3–4 days.
• Fridge: can dry it out slightly, so wrap well (bring to room temp before serving).
• Freezer: slice, wrap individually, freeze up to 3 months.

If freezing, skip delicate toppings until serving day. That keeps the texture and look fresh.

Quick chocolate and cherry cake time plan that actually works

 

If you want a genuinely quick chocolate and cherry cake without rushing and making mistakes, follow this simple timeline:

• 0:00–0:10 — preheat oven, line tin, measure ingredients
• 0:10–0:20 — mix batter, prep cherries
• 0:20–1:00 — bake (use that first 20 minutes to clean up)
• 1:00–1:30 — cool enough to slice (or decorate)

This is why it’s such a good easy bake cake for beginners: it doesn’t take over your whole day.

Mary Berry cake recipes easy topping options 

You can keep it simple, or you can turn it into a stunner.

Option 1: simple dusting

 

Icing sugar. Done. Perfect for a “cake tin” style snack cake.

Option 2: melted dark chocolate drizzle

 

Melt chocolate gently and drizzle across the cooled cake. It sets into thin ribbons that look fancy with almost no effort.

Option 3: chocolate ganache topping

 

Ganache feels luxurious, but it’s still simple: warm cream + chocolate, stirred until smooth, then cooled until spreadable.

The celebration-style ganache approach is used in Mary Berry’s layered version Source.

Chocolate cherry celebration cake: party version

 

If you want a proper chocolate cherry celebration cake, go for the layered approach:

• Bake two sandwich layers
• Spread cherry jam as the filling
• Add lightly whipped cream
• Finish with ganache swirls on top

This is the “wow” cake: richer, taller, and ideal for birthdays. The cherry-jam-and-cream filling plus ganache topping method is shown in Mary Berry’s fabulous version

It’s also a great way to turn this into a moist chocolate layer cake without needing heavy buttercream.

FAQs for Mary Berry Chocolate and Cherry Cake Recipe

 

1) Why did my cherries sink to the bottom?

Most often, the cherries are too wet or too heavy for the batter. Rinse glacé cherries, dry them very well, then toss them in a little flour before folding them in. This is a common tip in easy versions of this cake. 

2) Can I use fresh cherries instead of glacé cherries?

Yes. Pit them, chop (optional), and pat them dry really well. Fresh cherries release more juice than glacé cherries, so drying is key to avoid a soggy layer and to protect that soft sponge texture.

3) Can I use frozen cherries?

Yes, but thaw first, drain completely, and pat dry. If they’re still juicy, they can loosen the batter and make the cake heavier in the middle.

4) Why does this cake sometimes turn out dry?

Dry cake is usually from overbaking or a batter that’s too thick. Start checking a few minutes early, and add milk gradually until the mixture drops off a spoon easily (soft “dropping consistency”)—a detail often included in easy-bake methods

5) What oven temperature should I use?

A common guide is 180°C conventional / 160°C fan / Gas 4 for the easy one-tin version. Always preheat fully and avoid opening the door early

6) How do I know when the cake is baked through?

Look for these signs:

• The cake has risen and looks set in the centre
• The edges pull slightly away from the tin
• A skewer comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter)

7) Can I turn it into a traybake?

Yes. Spread the batter into a lined traybake tin and reduce the baking time (start checking earlier than a round cake). Traybakes cook faster because they’re shallower.

8) What cocoa method gives the deepest chocolate flavour?

A popular “celebration-style” approach is mixing cocoa with boiling water first to form a paste, which helps intensify the cocoa taste. This is used in Mary Berry’s fabulous chocolate and cherry cake method

9) Can I make it into a chocolate cherry celebration cake with filling?

Yes—bake two layers, then fill with cherry jam and lightly whipped cream, and finish with ganache on top. That style is shown in Mary Berry’s celebration version.

10) How do I make a simple chocolate ganache topping?

Warm cream, pour it over chopped chocolate, let it sit briefly, then stir smooth. Let it cool until thick enough to spread. (Ganache is used as the finishing topping in the celebration version.

11) Can I bake it ahead of time?

Yes. Cakes like this often taste even better the next day because the crumb settles and the flavours deepen. For the celebration-style cake, it’s commonly noted it can be made ahead (with timing guidance).

12) How should I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. If your kitchen is warm or the cake has cream filling, refrigerate—and bring slices back to room temp before serving for the best texture.

13) Can I freeze chocolate and cherry cake?

Yes. Freeze the plain sponge (whole or sliced) wrapped well. Add fresh toppings (like whipped cream/ganache finishing touches) on the day you serve for the best look and taste. Freezing guidance is also mentioned for the filled version.