At the Pennsylvania Farm Show’s Homemade Chocolate Cake Contest on Saturday, a woman from Cambria County took home a blue prize.
Out of 78 submissions, Terri Stewart’s Dark Chocolate Cherry Surprise Cake dazzled the judges.
The competition, which runs until January 11, took place on the first day of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg.
In the Pennsylvania Farm Show’s Homemade Chocolate Cake Contest on Saturday, Terri Stewart of Cambria County took home a blue ribbon. Out of 78 submissions, her Dark Chocolate Cherry Surprise Cake dazzled the judges.Given
Cakes were judged based on a variety of criteria, including consistency, presentation, and taste. Apple pies and angel food cakes are among the baked goods that are entered in the Farm Show’s yearly baking competition.
To qualify to compete at the Farm Show on a statewide level, contestants must first compete at county and community fairs.
Stewart’s winning recipe can be found here:
Cherry Surprise Cake in Dark Chocolate
Ingredients for the cake:
Two and a half cups of flour
Three cups of sugar
A quarter cup of dark cocoa
Three tsp baking soda
One and a half tablespoons of baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
Canola oil, 3/4 cup
Four eggs
One and a half cups of steaming coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease them. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until blended on low speed. Whisk the eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla in a separate basin. Slowly mix the wet components into the dry while the mixer is running on low speed. Using a spatula to scrape down the bowl, add the coffee and mix just until incorporated. Fill the pans with batter and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean. After 30 minutes of cooling in the pans, transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Filling with cherries:
One pound of delicious cherries, frozen
One-third cup of sugar
1/8 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp almond extract
One and a half teaspoons of lemon juice
One and a half tablespoons of cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon of flavoring from LorAnn cherries
In a non-stick pot, mix all the ingredients together. For five minutes, bring to a low simmer. Before using, let it cool to room temperature and then store it in the refrigerator.
Buttercream with chocolate:
Three sticks of softened unsalted butter
Six to seven cups of sugar powder
One cup of cocoa powder
One teaspoon of vanilla
One-fourth teaspoon of salt
Thick whipping cream
With an electric mixer, beat butter until it’s light and fluffy. Stir in cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Add vanilla and salt. Add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream at a time while beating on low to medium speed until the desired consistency is achieved. Scrape down the bowl’s sides.
Ganache with chocolate:
One cup of chocolate chips that are semisweet
Half a cup of heavy cream
In a saucepan, heat the cream until it starts to bubble. Cover with chocolate chips. After a minute of sitting, whisk until smooth.
Putting together:
Line a cake board or serving dish with a single layer of cake. Add a layer of chocolate buttercream on top. Encircle the cake with a dam of pipe. Pour half of the cherry filling into the center of the dam. Repeat after adding the second layer of cake. Put the cake’s top layer on. Cover the entire cake with a crumb coat (a thin coating of buttercream that serves as a primer) and place it in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to set. Use the leftover buttercream to cover the entire cake. Drizzle chocolate ganache over the cake and around the edges. As you like, decorate.
The 2025 Pa. Farm Show
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