Dark Chocolate Cherry Cake

Love is all around!!! What better way to celebrate St.Valentine's day than with a deep dark chocolate cake recipe, with a luscious chocolate and cherry Kirsch filling oozing out with every bite.

Serving suggestion:  A dusting of icing sugar and a dollop of the chocolate cherry filling

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Dutch dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cup water

Chocolate Cherry Filling:
19 ounce jar red sour cherries pitted and its juice
1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
1-2 tablespoon Kirsch liqueur
125 grams dark Belgium chocolate (1 cup chocolate disks or pieces)

Method:
Filling: Drain the cherries, reserving the juice. In a small saucepan add the cornstarch and whisk in the cherry juice. Cook on medium/low heat, whisking to prevent lumps and the juice from sticking as it thickens. Remove from the heat and with a wooden spoon stir in the chocolate and Kirsch liqueur. Fold in the cherries. Set aside.

 

CAKE: In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, Dutch dark cocoa, baking powder,baking soda, and salt.  In a separate bowl beat two eggs and whisk in the sugar, oil, water and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour/cocoa mixture and mix to combine. The batter will be somewhat liquidy.  Pour the batter into prepared muffin tins (makes 18 regular) or 6 mini bundt pans, half way. Drop a large spoonful of the chocolate cherry mixture on the center of the batter. Spoon on more batter on top of the cherry filling (a heaping tablespoon or two). Bake in a pre-heated 350º F oven for 20 minutes.