Cherry Garcia Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line with parchment and set aside.

Dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (2 cups), granulated sugar (1 cup), unsweetened cocoa powder (1 tablespoon), baking powder (2 teaspoons), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), and fine salt (1/2 teaspoon) until evenly combined.

Wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 large eggs until lightly beaten. Add the whole milk (1 cup), vegetable oil (1/2 cup) and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and whisk until blended.

Combine batter

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined and no large streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.

Bake

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 28–34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Bake time will vary slightly with pan and oven. Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert or remove and cool completely on the rack.

Cook cherries

While the cake bakes or cools, place the pitted cherries (2 cups) and granulated sugar (1/2 cup) in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook until cherries begin to release juices and the mixture simmers, about 6–8 minutes.

Thicken

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch (1 tablespoon) with the water (2 tablespoons) until smooth. Slowly stir the slurry into the simmering cherries. Continue to cook and stir for 1–2 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy.

Flavor and cool

Remove the pan from heat and stir in the amaretto (2 tablespoons) and lemon juice (1 teaspoon). Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. Allow the cherry filling to cool to room temperature, then reserve 1/2 cup of the chopped cherries (with some syrup) for the glaze and set aside the remainder for layering or serving with the cake.

Make glaze

In a medium bowl, beat the powdered sugar (1 1/2 cups) with the softened butter (3 tablespoons) until smooth. Add the amaretto (1 tablespoon) and 1–2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk, and beat to a spreadable consistency. If glaze is too thick, add another 1/2 tablespoon of cream; if too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.

Fold in cherries

Gently fold in the reserved 1/2 cup of finely chopped cooled cherries (from the filling) so the glaze has small fruit bits and flecks of syrup for color and flavor.

Glaze the cake

Once the cake is completely cool, spread the cherry amaretto glaze evenly over the top using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. The glaze sets slightly but remains soft and spreadable.

Layer or top

If you prefer, slice the cooled cake horizontally into two layers and spread the remaining cherry filling between the layers before reassembling and applying the glaze on top. Otherwise, simply place all the filling on top of the cake and then glaze.

Finish with toppings

Sprinkle the cocoa nibs (2 tablespoons) over the glazed cake while the glaze is still tacky so they adhere. If using, add the toasted sliced almonds (2 tablespoons) around the edge or scattered on top for extra texture.

Rest and serve

Let the glazed cake rest 20–30 minutes at room temperature to allow the glaze to set slightly and flavors to marry. Slice and serve. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.