Chocolate Cherry Cake

I’m very wary of proportions when it comes to baking, because there have been times when things just didn’t go as planned. But the aroma that the house was enveloped in while the cake was baking told me that this would be wonderful. And wonderful it was! My dad loved it and finished half the cake before I got home from work, and the other half got rave reviews at work.

Coco’s Chocolate Cherry Cake Recipe
• 100g (3.5 oz.) chopped dried cherries
• hot water, for soaking
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 200g( 7 oz.) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 200g( 7 oz.) granulated sugar or vanilla sugar
• 200g( 7 oz.) yoghurt
• 120ml(4 oz.) vegetable oil
• 2 egg
• A good handful of chocolate chips
• 30g(1oz.) chopped pecans
• More sugar for sprinkling

Icing
• 100g (3.5 oz.) dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp cream

1. Combine cherries, hot water, and almond extract: let stand 20 minutes. Drain cherries, dry on paper towel. Or simply soak them overnight and let it rest in the fridge.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Add yogurt, eggs, and oil. Stir well. Fold in cherries and chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased and floured 8 inch round cake pan.
3. Sprinkle pecans and a little sugar on top of batter.
4. Bake at 200°C or 400°F for 35-40 minutes, or until wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.
5. Melt the chocolate and the cream together. Fill it in a piping bag and pipe it over the cake. Let it set.
6. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.