Cherry-Chocolate Coffee Cake

The Recipe 
I bought the Stoneware Inspirations cookbook from Pampered Chef and found this recipe (pg 85) and thought it would be great to try.  Even though the cookbook is to be used on all the stoneware, it is also possible to make the recipes on regular pans.

Doesn't that just look yummy?

Making the Recipe
Because I don’t know own the Pampered Chef baking dish (yet that is….), I simply used one of my 9x13 pans.

I used a 21oz Krusteaz Cinnamon Crumb Cake mix for the streusel mix stated in the recipe.  I have used the mix in the past for just making the crumb cake and it is fabulous.  It does not have a glaze like mix in the recipe refers to either.

 

Disregard the ingredients used for the crumb cake package and mix it up with the quantities listed in recipe.  I used a generous half a cup of chocolate chips when I mixed them in.

When draining the cherry pie filling, simply make sure that most of the sauce is drained off.  There will still be some on the cherries but that is fine.  It is now my mission to find a recipe to use the pie filling sauce in so stay tuned for that in the future.

To keep things simple, I just scattered another generous half cup of chocolate chips over the cherries and batter rather than going through the time to mix it in with the cinnamon topping.  I also skipped out on the pecan halves as I am not a fan.

Then I spread the topping and made sure it was even over all the batter.

The Result
Overall it came out great.  I cut around the edge not too long after taking it out of the oven to reduce how much the caramelized topping would stick to the edges.

I may have tried serving the cake up before it had cooled enough and as a result, it was falling apart quite a bit.  That just means its really moist!! J  It smelled way too good to wait any longer though.  It still tended to fall apart some after it cooled as well but not as bad.

Guinea Pig Reviews
As many of my friends are finding out, when I try a new recipe, those in the vicinity gain the right to be my little guinea pigs.  Muah-ha-ha!  Here are some comments that were floating around the room once it was all dished up and after.

--I don’t normally like fruit and chocolate together but this is REALLY good.
--Its got just the right amount of cherries
--Its got just the right amount of chocolate
--I actually ate it as breakfast and highly enjoyed it.  I am not a huge chocolate fan, but it was just the right mix.  Very moist and delicious!

Would I make this again/recommend it?
You bet!  This recipe is quick and easy and gives a delicious result.