Chocolate love cake with cherries and booze
servings
2
ingredients
Ingredients
for the cake
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 100g/3½oz butter, softened
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar
• 1 egg, preferably free-range or organic
• 100g/3½oz self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ tin of black cherries, drained
• 2 tablespoons hazelnuts, chopped
for the chocolate sauce
• 25g/¾oz butter
• 142ml/4.9fl oz double cream
• 75g/2½oz good-quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
• a splash of brandy, rum, Amaretto or Baileys
method
This is a great cake to make for that special person in your life – it’s not too difficult and totally delicious! Serve it with a little glass of whatever booze you decide to add to the chocolate sauce – I love brandy, but rum, Amaretto or Baileys would also work well.Cooking time 1 hourPreheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and grease a small ovenproof dish (9 or 10 inches) with butter.Mix the cocoa powder with a few tablespoons of boiling water and stir until the mixture is lovely and smooth.In another bowl or a food mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light then add the cocoa mixture, egg, flour and baking powder. Mix it all together really well, pour into your ovenproof dish and sprinkle the cherries and hazelnuts on top before putting in the oven for about 25 minutes.While your cake is baking, make your chocolate sauce. Place the butter in a small pan with the cream and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and add your chocolate pieces to the pan. Give it all a good stir and then leave it for 5 minutes so that the hot cream can melt the chocolate. Add a splash of your desired alcohol and stir until thoroughly combined.To check if your cake is ready, give it a bit of a jiggle and if it doesn’t wobble too much then it’s done, if not, give it a few more minutes in the oven.Once it’s ready, pour your warm chocolate sauce all over the cake and either share it right from the dish or serve it up on two small plates with a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream or double cream. Delicious! This is a great cake to make for that special person in your life – it’s not too difficult and totally delicious! Serve it with a little glass of whatever booze you decide to add to the chocolate sauce – I love brandy, but rum, Amaretto or Baileys would also work well.
Cooking time 1 hour
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and grease a small ovenproof dish (9 or 10 inches) with butter.
Mix the cocoa powder with a few tablespoons of boiling water and stir until the mixture is lovely and smooth.
In another bowl or a food mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light then add the cocoa mixture, egg, flour and baking powder. Mix it all together really well, pour into your ovenproof dish and sprinkle the cherries and hazelnuts on top before putting in the oven for about 25 minutes.
While your cake is baking, make your chocolate sauce. Place the butter in a small pan with the cream and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and add your chocolate pieces to the pan. Give it all a good stir and then leave it for 5 minutes so that the hot cream can melt the chocolate. Add a splash of your desired alcohol and stir until thoroughly combined.
To check if your cake is ready, give it a bit of a jiggle and if it doesn’t wobble too much then it’s done, if not, give it a few more minutes in the oven.
Once it’s ready, pour your warm chocolate sauce all over the cake and either share it right from the dish or serve it up on two small plates with a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream or double cream. Delicious!