Chocolate Cherry Cakes

Name: Chocolate Cherry Cakes
Ingredients: The cake:; 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate; 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 12 ounces (1 3/4 cups) fresh cherries, pitted, plus cherries with stems for garnish; The frosting:; 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped; 2 1/2 cups heavy cream; 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

15 ingredients

6 steps

Ingredients

The cake:
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
12 ounces (1 3/4 cups) fresh cherries, pitted, plus cherries with stems for garnish
The frosting:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions

1

Make cake: Microwave unsweetened chocolate in a small microwavable bowl for 2 1/2 minutes at medium (50%) power. Stir; cook in 30-second increments until melted. Reserve.
2

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch metal cake pan; line it with greased parchment paper.
3

Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cocoa, baking powder, vanilla extract and salt; mix at low speed until blended. Mix flour in at low speed until just incorporated; mix in reserved chocolate until just incorporated.
4

Batter will be thick. Scrape it into prepared pan and smooth top. Press pitted cherries into surface of batter at 1-inch intervals; bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. (Do not stick pick into a cherry.) Let cake cool for 10 minutes, invert pan onto a tray, then invert cake onto cooling rack; cool completely.
5

Make frosting: Melt semisweet chocolate in 1 cup of cream in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, then stir in second cup cream and chill for at least 2 hours. Beat cold chocolate cream with an electric mixer until thick (do not overbeat or mixture may become grainy).
6

Assemble cakes: Beat 1/2 cup cream with confectioners' sugar until stiff but not dry. Using a 2 3/4-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out 8 rounds of cake; arrange on a platter. Frost cakes, dollop with whipped cream and top with a fresh cherry.