Recipe(tried): Mocha and Cherry Cake

joy/fl,

Though this recipe doesn't use cake mix, nor pie filling either, I thought you
might like to have a look? It's a $200 prize tested recipe by Ms. Brenda
Vernon from Connecticut. It was published in the March, 1994 issue of Better
Homes and Garderns. I actually got it from their "Best Recipe Yearbook", p.
59. ISBN:0-696-20063-5

It takes some time to make but it is one of the best chocolate cakes that go
with cherries really well. (Other than black forest cake, of course!)

regards,
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Mocha and Cherry CAke

2 cups grnulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Dutch process cocoa powder.)
2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 cup strong coffee, cooled
1/2 cup cooking oil (I haved used melted unsweetened butter & it's also good.)
2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 cups ricatta cheese
1/2 cup grnulated sugar
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
(I can't find this here so I simply finely chop the "dark" chocolate.)
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
2/3 cup margarine or butter (room temp.)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 to 2/3 cup milk
2 t. vanilla

In a very large bowl, combine the 2 cups sugar, flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder,
baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and
first 2 t. vanilla. Beat with and electric mixer on low speed for 30 sec. till
combined, then for 2 min on med. speed. Grease two 9 x 1 1/2-inch round baking
pans; sprinkle with coca powder. Pour batter into pans. Bake in a 350F oven
for 25-30 min. or until cakes test done. Cool on a rack for 10 min. Remove
from pans. Cool. Split each cake horizontally to make 4 layers. For filling,
combine the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and chocolate pieces. Gently stir
in cherries. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1/3 of the
filling on the bottom layer of cake. Top with another cake layer. Continue
layering the filling and cake, ending with cake.
For frosting, in a bowl beat margarine or butter till fluffy. Gradually add
the 1/2 cup cocoa and half of the powdered sugar. Slowly beat in half of teh
milk and the remaining vanilla. Beat in remaining powdered sugar. Beat in
additional milk till of spreading consistency. Frost cake. Garnish with
shaved chocolate and edible flower petals, if desired. serve immediately or
cover and chill up to 12 hours. Make 14-16 servings.

Nutrion fact per serving:
698 cal., 25g total fat (5 g, sat. fat), 45 mg chol., 385 mg sodium, 113 g
carbo., 1 g fiber, 10 g pro.

** I actually cut both sugar down (to quite low) to suit our own taste because
we dont' like it too sweet.