I am a huge fan of Cherry Ripes. Ok, when I say I'm a fan I'm not an eat it everyday type fan, nor do I always make sure I have a stash of them hidden away in the pantry, but Cherry Ripes are the only chocolate bar I eat. They are delicious and indulgent and when I was introduced to the delicious Cherry Ripe Roll's that came out last year I was instantly converted from the original Cherry Ripe to this new yummy creation. By the way, if you have never heard of a Cherry Ripe (ps you are missing out) you can read about them here.
The other day I had a craving for Cherry Ripe but not having any in the house I thought I'd try my hand at making a Cherry Ripe cake instead. When I told my fiance I was making a Cherry Ripe cake he raised his eyebrow questioning how close I'd be able to get to the real thing (which incidentally he is a huge fan of too), but when he had his first bite he laughed. I thought I'd done something wrong, like stupidly substitute salt for sugar, but he laughed because he was amazed at how much it tasted like a Cherry Ripe. And he was right. It did taste like a Cherry Ripe, albiet a cake version, but the flavour was definitely there. One of my fiance's work colleagues, who tried the cake when my fiance took the left overs in, even asked how many cherry ripes were in the cake.
For my creation I started with my favourite chocolate cake recipe, substituted coconut milk for buttermilk, added cherry brandy, chopped up glace cherries and coconut and baked two separate cakes. In between the layers of cake I added a cherry and coconut buttercream and then topped it all off with a chocolate cherry brandy ganache. It's rich, very rich, but boy is it good.
Given Christmas is cherry season in Australia this cake wouldn't be amiss as your Christmas dessert. After all it is a fruit cake 😉
So tell me, are you a Cherry Ripe fan? What is your favourite chocolate bar?
Recipe
Ingredients
CAKE:
- Butter for greasing the pans
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cups good quality cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups of coconut milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup of cherry brandy or cherry liqueur
- 200 g of glace cherries chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup of shredded coconut
CHERRY COCONUT BUTTERCREAM:
- 125 g of butter cut into cubes
- 1 cup of icing sugar
- 200 g of glace cherries chopped into small pieces
- ¼ cup of shredded coconut
- 2 tsp of cherry brandy
- red food colouring optional
CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
- 1 cup of cream not thickened
- 300 g of dark chocolate chopped
- 1 tablespoon of cherry brandy or liqueur optional
Instructions
- Start with the cake. Preheat the oven to 175 Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and butter 2 8-inch/20cm round cake tin and line with baking paper.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, oil, eggs and cherry brandy. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.
- With mixer still on low, add the coconut milk, cherries and coconut and mix until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter into two 20cm prepared cake tins and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a cake rack and cool completely.
- For the cherry buttercream add the icing sugar and butter into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Add the food colouring, if using, and beat until well combined. Then add the glace cherries, coconut and cherry brandy.
- To make the chocolate ganache place the cream and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat until melted and smooth. Add the cherry brandy (if using) and set aside and let it come to room temperature.
- To assemble the cake top one cake with the cherry coconut buttercream and then pour the chocolate ganache over the cake, letting it run down the sides. Then use a large offset spatula to spread from the center toward the edges, so that the cake is evenly and completely covered.
- Decorate with fresh cherries or decorate with chopped up cherry ripe bars.
[email protected] says
what can i say? wow!!
delicieux says
Thanks Anh 🙂 I was happy with it, but just wish I could get that professional looking finish that some people are able to achieve. They say practice makes perfect though. 🙂
Kiki Chaos says
I love the *non-professional* look personally, but a palette knife dipped in boiling water works really well for a super smooth finish. I've also heard a hairdryer set on low helps get a smooth shiny finish too - funny huh? 😀
delicieux says
Thanks Kiki 😀
Kim Bee says
Um, how have I never heard of these things. I love cherry, I love coconut, I love Cadbury. Makes no sense. I don't think I've ever seen one of these. I now need to hunt them down and make this cake. Do you deliver?
delicieux says
I can arrange delivery...for a fee of course :p
Amanda says
Lordy, Jen, this looks like a sin. How fabulous! And I think it looks very professional - I'd certainly eat it.
delicieux says
It is quite sinful. Definitely not everyday food, but perfect for the holiday season 😀
Nadia says
Wow, the cake looks spectacular! We love cherries too, very much! But this year we missed them, because the cherry season in BG is in june, we were in Bali, there were no cherries and when we got back, there were almost no cherries here too... I wish I could have a bite from this amazing cherrie ripe cake :)))
delicieux says
Thanks Nadia. So sorry to hear you missed out on the cherry season 🙁 Hopefully you will be able to enjoy them in abundance next year. 😀
Mishaps and mayhem of a gluten free life says
It looks pretty amazing to me too! Going to try a gf version, my husband loves cherry ripes too, might make a good anniversary gift!
delicieux says
Let me know how you go with your gluten free version 😀
abby says
boy does that look good! I love Cherry Ripes, but Snickers is probably my favourite...it's the peanuts. Have you tried the dark Cherry Ripe? It's really nice, a bit more medicine-y tasting than the traditional one, which I love.
delicieux says
Hi Abby :)I have tried the dark Cherry Ripe, and sadly I didn't like it. I think it was too mediciney for me.
Katherine Martinelli says
I've never had a cherry ripe (must be an Australian thing?) but this cake looks absolutely to die for!!!
delicieux says
Hi Katherine,Yes, Cherry Ripes are an Australian thing, and they are delicious. Thanks for your lovely comments too 😀
Tina@flourtrader says
I am so glad I stopped in. I love the combo of chocolate and cherry, so I appreciate the intro to the cherry ripe bars. Also, you have an amazing recipe here, chock full of wonderful ingredients. I have saved this recipe to enjoy at my house soon. Did you use regular cocoa or dutch?Your picture is so stunning and tempting.
delicieux says
Hi Tina, 😀 I'm so glad you stopped by.In answer to your question, I used regular cocoa in this cake because I didn't have any dutch cocoa. If you do make it, I would love to hear what you think. 🙂
jen @ giftboxology says
that looks amazing! i'm assuming your fiance's work will be enjoying a beautiful morning tea today?!i dont mind cherry ripe, i dont generally buy and eat them, although recently i did try the dark chocolate version (i much prefer to eat dark chocolate over milk).if i was buying a chocolate bar from the supermarket aisle it would be a twirl. but generally i prefer to eat Davies Dark Chocolate covered Ginger (which i did buy to stock in my store but have decided that my husband and i will eat our way through them instead) and any other premium dark chocolate really....this cake looks amazing. how long did it take you to make? 1 hr 20m? that would take me half a day!
delicieux says
Hi Jen,The cake itself is really easy to make, but assembling all of the pieces to make the final cake did take a bit of time, maybe 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It was worth it though as it was delicious. 😀
Nic@diningwithastud says
Love it! I actually really hate cherry's but I love Cherry Ripe! Im weird like that lol. So this cake, is perfecto 😀
delicieux says
I used to hate cherries too, but loved Cherry Ripe. I had some amazing cherries in Tasmania though and it converted me. They were fresh from the farm and just so delicious and juicy. 🙂
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Wow! What a festive and drool-worthy cake. Want. Some. NOW!!!
delicieux says
I'd gladly send you some if I could 😀
Claire @ Claire K Creations says
Oh my goodness, this does look deliciously rich. I'm not a cherry ripe fan but this cake might just convert me. Yum!
Amie says
I used to love Cherry Ripes, but haven't eaten one since I went vegetarian over ten years ago (stupid gelatin ruins so many good things for me!). I made chocolate coconut and cherry biscuits a few weeks ago though and my love of that combination has been revived. So I may have to give this recipe a go over the holidays. It looks delicious!
cc11 says
If y hubby loved coconut I would definitely be making this, but as he doesnt it will just be a chocolate and cherry dessert instead 🙂
lindamaree @ my garden feast says
Mmmm, just can't do the whole chocolate and fruit combo, not sure why, just never have been a fan, the closest I can come is cherries dipped in white chocolate, I'll definitely get into some of those this cherry season!
Rosa says
That cake looks amazing! What great texture and flavors. So tempting and irresistible.Cheers,Rosa
Alyssa says
I don't know what I think I would like more, the cake, the chocolate gnache, the cherry-coconut buttercream or the cake itself!!!!! It's really a beautiful cake!
delicieux says
Thank you so much Alyssa!! 😀
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Well done for cracking the Cherry Ripe flavour! I never used to like them until I moved overseas and my Australian colleagues kept asking for them when I visited Australia. Then I understood how yummy they were (and very unusual too!).
Jaime says
It looks lush - must try this!
vesna says
omg, the first photo made me so hungry! 😮
thelittleloaf says
I've never eaten a Cherry Ripe bar, but if it tastes as good as this cake looks then I want to! Looks like a really good chocolate cake base too - I might adapt it without the cherries but keep the coconut milk in. Delicious!
delicieux says
I really love the moistness you get from using coconut milk in baking. It's my new favourite thing 😀
Lacy says
I don't think I've ever had a Cherry Ripe but I do love love love cherries and anything cherry flavored and of course I also love chocolate. This sounds so delicious! Could use a Friday "I'm hopping off the diet bandwagon - just for the weekend" slice. 🙂
delicieux says
Hi Lacy 😀 This is the perfect "I'm hopping of the bandwagon for the weekend" cake. 🙂 It's so indulgent and rich.
Anna @The Littlest Anchovy says
I love Cherry Ripes...I also love Bounty Bars. Your cake looks amazing, seriously so good!
delicieux says
Thanks Anna 😀 I used to like bounty bars when I was little but I don't think I've had one since then.
Vicki @ WITK says
This cake looks so good! I'm trying to imagine what a cherry ripe tastes like... I'll have to come visit Australia and try one! I'm always jealous of christmas in the southern hemisphere, I want sunshine and warm weather for christmas 🙂
delicieux says
It is lovely to have a beautiful sunfilled Christmas, but I'd love to experience a white Christmas too 😀
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Now I need a cherry ripe! I've never had one, wonder if I could find them in the states....
delicieux says
I'm not sure if you can get them in the states Sylvie. I'll happily send you some though if you want to give them a try 😀