CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHERRIES AND ALMONDS

Preparation Method :

• Cream the butter by beating with an electric whisk. Add the sugar, vanilla sugar, rum extract, and salt.
• Beat until firm and smooth. Beat in the eggs at 30-second intervals, beating well after each addition.
• Sift the flour with the baking powder and fold this into the mixture. Finally, add the chocolate and the ground almonds and beat well on medium speed.
• Transfer the dough to a greased 10in spring form pan and smooth the top.
• Drain the Morello cherries thoroughly and spread them over the dough, leave a margin of around in/1 cm at the edge.
• Bake in a preheated 350oF/180°C oven for 35-45 minutes.
• Unmold onto a wire rack and leave to cool. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
• Whip the cream with the cornstarch, cream of tartar, and sugar until stiff.
• Pile this onto the cake and sprinkle with grated chocolate, if desired.