1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a Bundt pan or spray it with non-stick baking spray.
2. Make the Cake Batter:
- In a large bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and water. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Fold in the cherry pie filling gently until evenly distributed.
3. Make the Cream Cheese Filling:
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
4. Assemble the Cake:
- Pour half of the chocolate cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
- Spoon the cream cheese mixture evenly over the batter, avoiding the edges.
- Pour the remaining chocolate cake batter on top, spreading it gently to cover the cream cheese layer.
5. Bake the Cake:
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake (avoiding the cream cheese center) comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make the Glaze (Optional):
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
7. Serve:
- Garnish with fresh cherries or chocolate shavings if desired. Slice and enjoy!