Chocolate Cherry Brownies (From Cake Mix!)

stack of 3 chocolate cake mix brownies with cherries on a white plate garnished with fresh cherries.

These easy, 6-ingredient brownies are studded with juicy amaretto cherries for a brownie version of Black Forest Cake. 😋 Recipe adapted from I Heart Naptime.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 23

Total Time 33

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings - 16

Calories 240 kcal

Equipment

Large Mixing Bowl
Spatula
Measuring Cups & Spoons
9x9 Cake Tin or 8x12 or 9x13 (for thinner brownies)
Parchment Paper

Ingredients

1 box Chocolate Cake Mix 15.25 oz
2 Eggs
7 tablespoon Butter melted
¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Almond Extract
1 C Amaretto Cherries well-drained and roughly chopped; or sub in morello cherries or amarena cherries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking tin with non-stick cooking spray and parchment.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix, 2 Eggs, 7 tablespoon Butter (melted), ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt, and 1 teaspoon Almond Extract until uniform.
Fold in chopped 1 C Amaretto Cherries.
Pour batter into prepared tin. The brownie batter will be very thick, so you'll need to spread it out using an offset spatula, the back of a spoon, or a silicone spatula.
Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Allow to cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Expert Tips:

Feel free to use a 9x13 inch pan for thinner brownies, but begin to check for doneness around the 18-minute mark using the toothpick test.
Don’t overmix the batter! Overmixing causes the overproduction of gluten, which can cause your semi-homemade chocolate cherry brownies to become tough.
Drain the cherries from their cherry juice and pat them dry before chopping and folding into the batter. Too much liquid can make the brownies soggy.
Let the brownies cool to room temperature before storing. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze individually foil-wrapped squares in a zip-top freezer bag for up to a month.

Optional Variations:

Gluten-Free - Use your favorite gluten-free chocolate cake mix to make them celiac-friendly.
Vegan - Use a vegan cake mix, vegan liquid eggs (e.g. JUST Eggs), and vegan butter.
Add-Ins - Feel free to add some textural pizzazz by folding in ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, chopped chocolate bar, or chocolate chunks and/or ½ cup of sliced almonds. For an even deeper chocolate flavor, add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder. You can also drizzle on some melted chocolate after they cool for a pretty garnish.

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 507mgPotassium: 151mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 397IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Cheap, Chocolate, Comforting, Date Night, Dessert, Easy, Fruit

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