Happy July! Cherry season is in full swing and I had a big bag of cherries to use and some leftover wine from my date night with hubby. I decided to create this easy recipe that you will love if you are a wine and chocolate fan like me.

This cake has chocolate, fresh cherries and red wine. I used Cabernet Sauvignon from my favorite winery Castello Di Amorosa. If you want to know more about this winery, you can visit their website https://castellodiamorosa.com/

This cake is perfect if you want a quick treat for that special occasion that you have in mid.

Let’s start with the recipe.

Yield one 8 or 9 inch cake pan. I used a heart shaped pan and it worked fine too,

Ingredients

For the cake

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup dark cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup red wine. I used Cabernet Sauvingon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups fresh cherries. Sliced and pitted.

For the ganache/icing

3 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces. If you don’t have baking chocolate, you can use chocolate chips.

1 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons red wine. I used Cabernet Sauvignon

Directions

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour your baking pan. Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper.

1.- In a mixing bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cocoa powder and sugar. Mix. Set aside.

2.- In a smaller bowl mix eggs, oil, vanilla extract, wine. Mix well.

3.- Using a mixer in low speed, add the wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined. Do not overmix.

4.- Using a spatula fold in cherries.

5.- Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan.

6.- Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If you notice the top of your cake is all baked but the inside isn’t ready yet, just cover the top with a piece of foil and keep baking until it’s done.

For the ganache/icing

1.- In a heat-proof bowl mix the chocolate, light corn syrup and butter. Place this bowl in the microwave and heat it up medium heat for about 40 seconds. Take the bowl out of the microwave, stir well and do another 40 seconds. Mix well until everything is well combined and chocolate is melted. Be careful to not overheat the chocolate because it can burn.

2.- Add in powdered sugar (sifted) and wine. Whisk well until everything is well combined and no sugar lumps are left.

2.- Place this bowl on a cooling rack and let it cool completely. It will thicken more when it cools off.