Chocolate, cherry & Amaretto cream cake

Name: Chocolate, cherry & Amaretto cream cake
Yield: Serves 10-12
Ingredients: 85g (3oz/2/ 3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour; 30g (1oz/4 Tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder; ¼ tsp fine sea salt; 4 eggs; 100g (3½oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar; chocolate shavings, to finish; handful of crushed amaretti biscuits, to finish; 350g (12oz) pitted cherries, fresh or frozen, plus extra to decorate; 40g (1½oz/3¼ Tbsp) caster (superfine) sugar; 1 star anise; juice of ½ lemon; 100ml (3½fl oz/scant ½ cup) Amaretto; 170g (6oz) dark chocolate; 85g (3oz/1/ 3 cup plus 2 tsp) unsalted butter; 100g (3½oz/½ cup) light brown sugar; 100ml (3½fl oz/scant ½ cup) hot water; 25g (1oz/3½ Tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder; pinch of fine sea salt; 250ml (9fl oz/generous 1 cup) double (heavy) cream; 60g (2oz/¼ cup) sour cream; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 1 Tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar

Love a Black Forest gateau? Then you'll love this even more

By Benjamina Ebuehi

10 May 2024

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This is a bit of a riff on the classic Black Forest gâteau. And classics are classics for a reason. Chocolate and cherries will always be great friends, and pour in some sweet Amaretto, add a feather-light sponge and lots of fresh cream and you’ve got yourself a winner. This can easily be dressed up with candles or even sparklers to be a proper celebration cake. A good one to bring along when you want to impress.

Tip: the sponge can be made 2 days ahead, and the cherries 5 days ahead, and stored in the fridge. The finished cake needs to be stored in the fridge due to the fresh cream.

This recipe is an extract from I'll Bring Dessert: Simple, Sweet Recipes for Every Occasion by Benjamina Ebuehi (Quadrille). Image credit Laura Edwards.

Next, why not try more recipes from Benjamina Ebuehi from the House & Garden recipe archive?

Recipe notes