INDULGENT CHERRY CHOCOLATE & ALMOND CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

Dry ingredients:

• 200g flour
• 100g ground almonds/almond flour
• 200g brown sugar
• 30g cacao
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Wet ingredients:

• 230ml cherry juice (use from tinned cherries)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (warm)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract

Other ingredients:

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 220g of cherries, which is roughly 2 tins of cherries in juice or use 220g of pitted fresh cherries (in that case you will need to buy cherry juice separately)
• Icing sugar
• Flaked and toasted almonds

METHOD:

Preheat the over to 180C (360F).

Combine all wet ingredients and mix together well in a bowl (drain the tinned cherries and use the juice from the tin).

Then combine all dry ingredients in a separate larger bowl and mix together well.

Now pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well so there are no lumps.

Then add 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar and combine stir well again.

Finally add the cherries (save one or two for decoration) and combine with the batter.

Line the bottom of spring form baking tin with baking paper (this is important as it will stick otherwise) and grease the sides with margarine.

Bake for 50 min, switch off oven and leave in there for another 30min.

Take out and let cool down.

Then sprinkle icing sugar and optional flaked and toasted almonds on it and add the literal cherry on top for decoration. Enjoy!

And if you like a bit of fruitiness in your life (pardon the pun) then also check out my vegan summer nectarine cake (you can also make it with other soft fruits like plums and peach halves).