If the name of this recipe caught your eye, you are not alone. When I first came across the idea of sauerkraut in chocolate cake I was pretty darn skeptical. Even as a big sauerkraut fan, I didn’t see any reason for it to find its way into my chocolate cake batter. But, in the name of research… I decided to give this Phelps Sauerkraut Festival Chocolate Cake a try.

The aforementioned Sauerkraut festival takes place in Phelps, New York which was once named the sauerkraut capital of the word due to their high production of the fermented food. As I read the justifications for adding sauerkraut to cake, the idea started to make a little more sense. It adds moisture, a little tanginess, and a chewy texture similar to coconut– doesn’t sound so bad, right? The kraut is also rinsed before it’s added to wash off the extra salt.

This recipe is super simple to whip up with the use of a boxed devil’s food cake mix. Stir one full cup of kraut into the batter and bake just until the center has set. Flip the cake onto your favorite serving plate and top with cherry pie filling. Now you just have to decide if you’re going to tell everyone what the secret ingredient is!