Mary Berry's chocolate and cherry cake, featured in her 2025 publication Mary 90: My Very Best Recipes, offers a celebration-worthy treat for the whole family. The recipe, which serves 8-10 people, combines a moist cocoa sponge with cherry jam and a rich chocolate ganache.
A Crowd-Pleasing Celebration Cake
Introducing the recipe, Berry wrote: "This is an impressive cake (so good, in fact, that it's on the cover of the book!), perfect for a celebration. It may seem a lot of water to add to the cake, but it is needed to make a paste with the cocoa powder." The cake uses 55g of sifted cocoa powder and six tablespoons of boiling water to create a smooth paste, along with four large eggs, 225g of baking spread, 225g of caster sugar, 225g of self-raising flour, and one teaspoon of baking powder.
Filling and Ganache Details
For the filling, the recipe calls for six generous tablespoons of cherry jam and 300ml of pouring double cream, lightly whipped. The ganache requires 200ml of pouring double cream and 200g of Bournville chocolate, broken into pieces.
Step-by-Step Method
To prepare, pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4, then grease and base two 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tins. Begin by making the ganache: measure the cream and chocolate into a glass bowl, place it over a pan of simmering water, and heat until runny. Remove from the heat and set aside in a cool spot until thickened.
While the ganache sets, mix the cocoa powder with the boiling water in a large bowl to form a smooth paste. Add all remaining cake ingredients and beat with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Divide the batter between the tins, smooth the tops, and bake for 25-30 minutes until well risen and pulling away from the sides. Cool briefly in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack.
Once cooled, place one cake upside down on a board, spread with cherry jam, and layer the whipped cream on top. Set the second cake on top and spread the ganache generously across the surface, creating a swirled pattern.
