Chocolate Cake with Cherries and Chili

This rich chocolate cake combines dark chocolate, tart sour cherries, crunchy almonds, and a gentle chili heat. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to bake.

Recipe details

Ingredients

• 300 g good-quality dark chocolate with about 50% cocoa, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground chili pepper or chili flakes, adjusted to taste
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 150 g butter
• 5 medium eggs
• 150 g fine sugar
• 80 g all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 340 g jarred, pitted sour or Morello cherries, with approximately 175 g drained weight
• 40 g blanched slivered almonds
• 1–2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C using conventional top and bottom heat. Butter the springform tin and dust it lightly with flour.
2. Drain the cherries thoroughly.
3. Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a saucepan. Melt them together over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. This should take approximately 5–8 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to become hot or burn.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the chili and sea salt. Taste carefully and add more chili if desired.
5. Beat the eggs and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 1–2 minutes, until thoroughly combined.
6. Sift the flour and baking powder into the egg mixture, then add the melted chocolate mixture. Mix at medium speed until smooth.
7. Fold in the drained cherries and slivered almonds.
8. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and gently move the tin from side to side to distribute it evenly.
9. Bake on the second shelf from the bottom for 35–40 minutes. Test the center with a wooden skewer to check whether the cake is baked.
10. Cool the cake on a wire rack. Remove the springform ring after 5–10 minutes, then allow the cake to cool completely.
11. Dust generously with cocoa powder before serving. If desired, decorate with icing sugar, cherries, or fresh chocolate mint leaves.

Helpful tips

Sour cherries are recommended because their tart flavor balances the richness of the chocolate particularly well. Fresh sour cherries may also be used when they are in season.

Chocolate can be melted directly in the saucepan here because it is combined with butter. When melting chocolate by itself, use a water bath and ensure that no water comes into contact with the chocolate, as moisture can cause it to seize.