Chocolate Cherry Cake + coconut icing

Sue Maree P -

My chocolate cherry cake reminds me of the Australian chocolate bar called cherry ripe bar but in a cake. Simple to make and I'm sure this will impress your friends and family. This recipe is made with butter, dark chocolate, eggs, a little flour, cherries and topped off with a fluffy coconut icing. I have used my favourite Spelt flour but would work just as well with regular flour.

If you don't want the fluffy coconut icing you could sprinkle it with icing sugar and serve with cream and or ice cream.


Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter – 130g / about 3/4 cup
  • Dark Chocolate – 170g / about 3/4 cup
  • Eggs separated – 6
  • Castor sugar – 225g / about 1 cup
  • Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
  • Sifted all purpose flour or Spelt flour – 95g / about 3/4 cup
  • Salt – 1 tsp
  • Thawed and drained frozen pitted cherries or 16oz canned pitted – 400g packet / about 2 cups

Coconut Icing

  • Sifted icing sugar – 500g / about 4 cups
  • Unsalted softened butter – 160g / about 2/3 cup
  • Coconut milk – 60ml / about 1/4 cup
  • Grated dark chocolate – 20g / about 1 tbsp
  • Desiccated coconut – 30g / about 1/4 cup or 2 tbsp

Method

  1. PREHEAT– oven to 160˚C fan / 180˚C / 350˚F. Grease with butter and a 23cm / 9 inch spring form pan.
  2. MELT – butter and chocolate together in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
  3. BEAT – the egg yolks and sugar until light
  4. ADD – the butter chocolate mixture
  5. ADD vanilla
  6. STIR in the flour and salt
  7. BEAT – egg whites
  8. FOLD in the beaten egg whites.
  9. POUR Pour the mixture into your prepared springform pan
  10. SPRINKLE the drained cherries on top
  11. BAKE for 45-50 mins. Check with a skewer at 45mins. (this cake tastes better under cooked than over cooked).
  12. ICING – using a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment or handheld electric whisk, gradually mix the icing sugar and butter together on a low speed until combined and there are no visible chunks of butter. Add the coconut milk while mixing on a low speed, then increase the speed and beat until fluffy and light. Once the cake is completely cool add the icing with a palette.