RED BERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE

I love the mix of cherries and chocolate!! Who doesn’t? But I love the tartness of cranberries as well, so a generous mix of both is a good balance in this indulgently delicious, easy, rich cake. It keeps well too in an airtight tin. Never in this house!! You can add a topping for a special occasion, but it is so moist and tasty it does not need it. Maybe drizzle over a little extra melted chocolate, if you must???? Your choice.

Oil a 2lb loaf tin and place some baking parchment across and over the long side to help you lift it out. Pre heat your fan oven to 150C

In a medium bowl, place:

7 oz butter, softened

7 oz caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Cream the above until light and fluffy, then add:

3 large eggs, one at a time, along with a little of the flour to stop it curdling. [see * on cherries]

5 oz plain flour 

1½ teaspoon baking powder

1 dessertspoonful good quality cocoa

3 oz ground almonds

Fold in the dry ingredients and mix well. Now add:

3 oz dried cherries [not glacé, cut in half or thirds, then *toss lightly in some of the flour]]

3 oz dried cranberries [toss in a little flour]

3-4 oz dark chocolate chips [I use Sainsbury’s Belgian Dark Chocolate chips - very good]

1 teaspoon almond extract

Mix well and tip into your prepared tin. Bake for about 1¼  hour, but check it is not too brown and turn down for the last 20 mins. Leave in the tin for 10 mins then cool on a rack. Enjoy! I found this recipe in a magazine and clipped it out some time ago, although I did alter it to my own tastes, as I do, and it never fails to hit your taste buds!