Chocolate cake with cherries and hazelnuts

Chocolate, cherry, and hazelnut cake – a delicious and decadent recipe, perfect for lovers of quick and simple desserts that add a touch of refinement to every slice. This soft and moist cake, enriched with juicy cherries and crunchy hazelnuts, is sure to become your family's favorite. I invite you to discover how to prepare it step by step.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients:

- 250 g butter (preferably at room temperature)
- 250 g brown sugar
- 250 g flour
- 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 150 g hazelnuts
- 200 g pitted cherries (bitter black cherries add an interesting note)
- 5 eggs
- 1 packet of baking powder
- 1 packet of vanilla sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond essence
- A pinch of salt
- For decoration: 200 g melted chocolate + a few roughly chopped hazelnuts

Instructions:

1. Preparing the hazelnuts: Start by toasting the hazelnuts. Preheat a pan over medium heat and add the hazelnuts. Toast them for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until they turn golden and fragrant. Once cooled, remove the skins and chop them into large pieces. These will add a crunchy texture to your cake.

2. Creating the batter: In a large bowl, mix the softened butter until it becomes a fine cream. Add the brown sugar, vanilla sugar, and almond essence, continuing to mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.

3. Adding the eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. This technique will ensure a uniform and airy batter.

4. Incorporating the dry ingredients: In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Sift the mixture over the wet batter and mix until you obtain a homogeneous paste.

5. Adding the cherries and hazelnuts: Finally, add the chopped hazelnuts and pitted cherries to the batter. Gently fold with a spatula, being careful not to crush the cherries.

6. Baking: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf pan with butter and dust it with flour. Pour the batter into the pan and level the surface. Bake for about 40 minutes. To check if the cake is done, use a toothpick – if it comes out clean, your dessert is perfectly baked.

7. Cooling and decorating: After the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cake cools, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Once cooled, pour the melted chocolate on top and sprinkle with roughly chopped hazelnuts for an attractive look.

8. Serving: This chocolate, cherry, and hazelnut cake is delicious served alongside a few fresh bitter cherries, which will perfectly contrast the sweetness of the dessert.

Practical tips:

- You can replace the cherries with other seasonal fruits, such as raspberries or blueberries, to experiment with different flavors.
- If you prefer a more intense chocolate flavor, you can add chocolate chunks to the batter.
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature for better blending.

This cake is not only easy to make but also a dessert that will impress any guest. Enjoy every slice and savor the harmonious flavors of chocolate, cherries, and hazelnuts!

 Ingredients: 250 g butter, 250 g brown sugar, 250 g flour, 50 g dark cocoa, 150 g hazelnuts, 200 g pitted cherries (I had bitter black cherries), 5 eggs, 1 packet of baking powder, 1 packet of vanilla sugar, 1 teaspoon of almond essence, 1 pinch of salt - for decoration: 200 g melted chocolate + a few coarsely chopped hazelnuts.

 Tags:  cake recipe fruit cake