Choco-Cherry Cake

Box Yellow Cake Mix

3 eggs

1/3 cup cooking oil

1 1/4 cup water

1 1/2 oz bittersweet baking chocolate

40 maraschino cherries, dried

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop or shave chocolate, and place in a bowl in the fridge or freezer until ready.  Use a whisk or electric mixer to combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and water until well blended.  Fold in chocolate, and pour mixture into a 13x9 greased baking pan.  Place cherries evenly across the top of the cake mixture (cherries will sink while baking).  Bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let sit until completely cooled.

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice

1/2-1 cup powdered sugar

Stir together butter and cherry juice, then slowly whisk in powdered sugar.  When mixture starts to thicken, taste test frequently: you want a cherry-flavored glaze, not a powdered sugar flavored glaze.  Drizzle on cake, and enjoy.

So I know what you’re thinking... boxed cake mix?  Maraschino cherry juice?!

Well, as far as I’m concerned, homemade cake batter can be a pain in the ass, and I’ve never had a good experience with it.  Some people may call it “cheating” to use a box mix, I call it predictable and time-saving.

And as for the cherry “juice”... what else are you going to do with all that liquid left in the cherry jar?

All in all, a very yummy dessert.  The cake came out perfectly moist and delicious.  Even my fiance, who HATES cherries and bittersweet chocolate, came back for more!