Coal Miners Chocolate Cake

Chocolate. Cherries. Fudge frosting. This coal miners chocolate cake has several building blocks that come together to make a deliciously decadent cake. If you’ve never heard of coal miners cake, trust us when we say that it’s going to become an instant family favorite.

While nobody knows the original creator of this humble cake recipe, the cake has roots in Appalachia, where it has been a beloved recipe among the region’s coal miners for many decades. Think of it as an equivalent to Coca-Cola cake in the South.

This Appalachian recipe is very simple: Grab a box of your favorite chocolate cake mix, a can of cherry pie filling, a few eggs and some vanilla extract, and stir it all together to make a thick batter. Then, bake it in the oven and top it with an irresistibly easy fudge frosting while it’s warm. From here, you can either dig in while the cake is still ooey-gooey or wait a few hours (if you can) until the frosting sets and the cake cools.

This coal miners cake is a dessert recipe that actually gets better the longer it sits, so it’s perfect for making ahead and taking to a potluck. Bake the cake in a disposable 13×9-inch pan with a cover for easy travel and zero cleanup after your big event. What could be better?

Ingredients for Coal Miners Chocolate Cake

• Devil’s food cake mix: While it’s not quite a dump cake, coal miners chocolate cake uses a convenient boxed cake mix for the base.
• Cherry pie filling: Our recipe calls for a 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling. You could also try making this recipe with homemade cherry pie filling too.
• Eggs: Eggs are important in cake recipes because they improve the tenderness of the cake and help incorporate air into the batter, which makes a cake light and fluffy.
• Vanilla: Even chocolate cake recipes benefit from vanilla. Use your pick of store-bought vanilla extract or use homemade vanilla extract!
• Butter: The easy fudge frosting begins with melting butter on the stovetop, then mixing it with evaporated milk and sugar.
• Evaporated milk: Some coal miners cake recipes will use whole milk in the frosting, but we find that using evaporated milk yields a richer, creamier frosting since most of its water content was removed during manufacturing.
• Sugar: For the best taste and texture, cook the sugar mixture on the stovetop until the sugar dissolves. Otherwise, the frosting will have a grainy texture and appearance.
• Salt: Salt balances the sweetness of the frosting and enhances the chocolate flavor.
• Cocoa powder: To deepen the chocolate flavor in the icing, we add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. For a supremely decadent chocolate frosting, choose a dark chocolate cocoa powder.
• Chocolate chips: To finish the frosting, semisweet chocolate chips are melted into the frosting. For a sweeter frosting, you can use milk chocolate chips. Or, dark chocolate chips work as well.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the cake batter

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Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs and vanilla.

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Stir until evenly mixed and then transfer to a greased 13×9-inch cake pan.

Step 2: Bake the cake

Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Editor’s Tip: We use the toothpick test to test the cake for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, then the cake is fully baked.

Step 3: Make the fudge frosting

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In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the butter, sugar, salt, cocoa powder and evaporated milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar is fully dissolved, three to four minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Editor’s Tip: Begin preparing the frosting when the cake has about 10 minutes left to bake.

Step 4: Pour and set

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As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the warm frosting over the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Let the cake cool completely.

Editor’s Tip: It takes four to five hours for the cake to cool and the frosting to completely set.

Step 5: Slice and serve

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Once the cake has set, slice it into squares and serve.

Editor’s Tip: For a pretty garnish, you can top individual pieces of this cake with sliced fresh cherries or chopped pecans. A dollop of homemade whipped cream and a maraschino cherry on top would also make a pretty presentation.

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Coal Miners Chocolate Cake Variations

• Make it without frosting: If you’re looking for a coal miners cake without icing, you can either stick to this recipe or try this chocolate cherry cake recipe that’s very similar but swaps in almond extract for the vanilla and simply dusts the cake with confectioners’ sugar once cool.
• Try another fruit: Traditionalists who have known and loved this cake since childhood will tell you a coal miners cake must be made with cherries. However, you can feel free to experiment with other flavors. Strawberry pie filling or a mixed berry pie filling would also taste delicious.
• Experiment with other frosting options: While the warm chocolate icing poured on top is a key step in this recipe and helps make coal miners cake special, you can enjoy this cake with other frosting recipes you enjoy. Just let the cake cool first before applying. Cream cheese frosting, chocolate buttercream or a fluffy layer of whipped topping (aka Cool Whip) would be equally delicious.
• Add nuts: Some coal miners chocolate cake recipes will add 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the fudge frosting for texture, crunch and flavor. If you enjoy nuts, feel free to add them once the chocolate chips are melted.

How to Store Coal Miners Chocolate Cake

Coal miners chocolate cake should be stored in an airtight food storage container or covered with storage wrap to preserve freshness at room temperature. To prolong its shelf life, store the cake in the fridge.

How long does coal miners chocolate cake last?

Coal miners chocolate cake will stay fresh for three to four days at room temperature or for up to one week in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that cake stored in the refrigerator will begin to dry out sooner than cake kept at room temperature.

Coal Miners Chocolate Cake Tips

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Can you use any kind of cake mix for coal miners chocolate cake?

Yes. While the classic recipe typically calls for a devil’s food cake mix, you can swap in any chocolate cake mix that you enjoy. You could even try swapping in a cherry or yellow cake mix to make the recipe your own.

What do you serve with coal miners chocolate cake?

This easy chocolate cake recipe is perfect for potlucks and gatherings with friends. It would fit right in on a potluck dessert table alongside some of our other favorite 13×9 dessert recipes, or add it to a spread of party food and appetizers when watching the big game with friends and family.