A Can Of Cheerwine Soda Is The Shortcut To Perfect Cherry-Flavored Cake

Few things are better than biting into a decadent cherry-flavored cake and feeling its sultry sweetness slowly melt onto your tongue. Rich, indulgent, and bejeweled with vibrant red maraschinos, it captures hearts at first sight then taste buds at first bite. Much like any dessert out there, a cherry cake does take a bit of work to put together. The secret to giving this one a truly gratifying taste, however, is much simpler than you think. All it requires is a generous pour of Cheerwine.

Contrary to what the name might suggest, Cheerwine is actually not alcoholic. Instead, it's a soda that offers a uniquely deep cherry sweetness with a clean and light tone, accompanied by an effervescent, bubbly feel. Although technically a beverage, it has no problem mixing in with a thick, creamy cake batter. This shortcut eliminates the need for measuring out multiple ingredients, hunting down other flavorings, or cooking up elaborate compotes. You can breeze through the baking process without compromising on the cherry cake's classic flavors. Additionally, the soda's carbonation helps to create a fluffy and airy texture. It ensures that your cake will be perfectly moist and not faulted by the typical dryness.

Of course, as it isn't actually a cherry juice, Cheerwine may not closely mimic actual cherry. However, it creates an electrifying base that perfectly captures the fruit's enchanting nature and distinctive floral and almond sweetness -- a just-as-good option for when you want to keep things as simple as possible.

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What To Know When You're Adding Cheerwine Soda To A Cherry Cake

You can make a great variety of cakes with Cheerwine soda. From homemade specialties like Bundt cake and pound cake to an elaborate layer cake that's fit for party extravaganzas. Depending on the specific recipe, the soda may be simmered with the butter, sugar, and other essentials or alternately added alongside the flour into a mixed batter. Since Cheerwine soda is already quite sweet, consider cutting back on the sugar to keep the cake from becoming overwhelmingly sweet.

Not limited to traditional cakes, Cheerwine can also be used as a substitute for water in a cake mix. It works well with just about any flavor but would shine particularly bright when combined with a white or vanilla base, or perhaps even something chocolatey for a Black Forest cake reminiscence.

The journey doesn't have to end with the cake itself either. Cheerwine can also be infused into frostings and glazes to enhance both the flavor and visual pink appeal of the cake. And if you want to sprinkle in some fresh fruit authenticity, a few drops of cherry extract, cherry compote, or perhaps even using the actual fruits would do the trick. They can be dotted all over the creamy blank surface, or stone-free cherries can be hidden between the layers of the cake as an exciting surprise.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.