The Pancho Torte is a unique and delicious, dome-shaped cake popular in Eastern Europe and Russia! This chocolate cherry cake with pineapple, pecans and a sour cream whipped cream frosting is seriously delicious! I make this cake with my ‘Chocolate Sponge Cake’ recipe and soak the cake pieces with cherry liqueur for even more cherry flavor! The cake is assembled into a bowl, the inverted to create the unique dome shape! This show-stopping Russian cake recipe is great for any occasion!
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Chocolate Cake Recipe
The Pancho torte is a chocolate cherry cake made with light and fluffy sponge cake. I used a simplified version of my favorite ‘Chocolate Sponge Cake’ recipe but you can also use my ‘Perfect Chocolate Cake’ recipe for a richer and more chocolatey cake. I omitted the butter and coffee from the original recipe for this cake. Prepare the cake batter and bake it in a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper. Once the cake is cooled, cut it into bite-sized pieces. You can prepare the chocolate cake even a few days ahead of time; just keep it well covered so it doesn’t dry out.
European Whipped Cream
This unique Russian cake is made with a traditional, European-style whipped cream frosting. This frosting starts just like a regular whipped cream: heavy cream, vanilla and sugar. To the whipped frosting, sour cream is added and gently folded in. The sour cream gives this frosting a slightly tangy flavor and it goes so well with the sweetness of the cake and fillings!
Putting it Together
Once you have the chocolate cake and frosting ready, prepare the rest of the fillings for this Pancho torte. I personally prefer to use fresh fruit but canned pineapple and canned cherries will also work great! Cut the fruit into small, bite sized pieces and chop the pecans. To assemble the cake, first line a large mixing bowl with plastic wrap. Add a thick, generous layer of the prepared whipped cream on the inside, making sure the layer is even all around the bottom and sides.
Cut the chocolate cake into bite sized pieces and start layering the cake. Add a layer of chocolate cake and soak it lightly with cherry liqueur, then add a few handfuls of the pineapple, cherries and pecan. Follow with a layer of frosting and repeat the process until the mixing bowl is full. Allow the cake to stand in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, invert a cake stand onto the bowl and then turn the cake right side up. Don’t forget to smooth down the frosting before adding the chocolate garnish! Watch my video recipe to see how it’s done!
More Recipes!
Enjoyed this delicious chocolate cherry cake? Check out some of my other European-style cakes! And if you want the ultimate European cake collection, get my cookbook – The European Cake Cookbook!
- Strawberry Kiwi Trifle Cake – another dome-shaped cake recipe with fruit and custard filling!
- Chocolate Spartak – stunning 8-layer chocolate cake with fluffy frosting.
- Golden Key Caramel Cake – the best-ever caramel cake with dulce de leche, sweetened condensed milk, pecans and whipped cream frosting!
- Strawberry Zefir Torte – this fruity cake is made with fruit marshmallow layers!
- Chocolate Cherry Mousse Cake – the most decadent and fluffy chocolate cake with cherries!
Hi. Is it supposed to be 1 1/3 cup flour for this choc sponge cake recipe? Your vanilla sponge cake has only 1 cup of flour for the same amount of eggs, but for the chocolate sponge cake you have 1 1/3 cup flour + 1/3 cup cocoa powder. My cake turned out really dry & didn’t rise much, so I’m wondering if it’s too much dry ingredients for the chocolate sponge cake? It turned out great when I did your regular sponge cake.
Hi Olya! I’m so, so sorry! That is a mistake on my end! Yes, it should be just 1 cup of all-purpose flour! Will get that fixed ASAP! Hope you’re still able to enjoy the cake! Try soaking it with extra liqueur or juice! 🙂
Tried this you today. Turned out amazing. Love all of your recipes. Thank you so much. 😊💞
Awesome!! 🙂 I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!