DARK CHOCOLATE AND CHERRY CAKE

WITH BRANDY BUTTERCREAM

Full Time Tart owner, Sophie Petersen, has made her mark on the Christchurch cake scene. Sophie previously worked as a singer and actor across New Zealand and Australia but craved to come back to her roots in Ōtautahi. From her kitchen on Banks Peninsula, she has developed a seasonal menu full of local ingredients. With a deep chocolate sponge, a boozy buttercream, sticky jam, and crunchy candied hazelnut, this cake is perfect as we approach the cooler months. 

 140g full-fat milk 

50g malt vinegar 

260g flour 

90g cocoa powder 

430g brown sugar 

10g baking soda 

180g room temperature butter 

85g canola oil 

1 tsp vanilla bean paste 

3 eggs 

260g freshly extracted espresso or instant coffee 

2/3 cup pitted cherries 

Cherry jam 

1 cup pitted cherries 

1/2 cup caster sugar 

1 tbsp water 

Juice of a lemon and zest 

A knob of butter 

Praline 

2/3 cup caster sugar 

1 cup chopped hazelnuts 

1 tbsp flaky sea salt 

Icing 

250g room temperature butter 

1 tsp vanilla paste 

300g icing sugar 

100g white chocolate 

3 tbsp brandy 

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake and line two 20cm/8-inch cake tins with baking paper. 

Combine the milk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside. Using a cake mixer, combine the flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda, and butter together on a low speed until it resembles a fine crumb. In a second bowl, lightly whisk the oil, vanilla, eggs, and warm coffee. 

On a slow speed, add half of the coffee mixture to the batter. Once combined, bring up to high and whip until fluffy and pale. Reduce the speed and repeat with the remainder of the coffee mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every now and again to ensure the batter is evenly whipped. 

The milk/vinegar mix should now be looking quite thick and lumpy. This is what helps the cake be so deliciously soft and deep in flavour. Fold this mixture into the cake batter. Split the batter into the two prepared tins and dot the cherries evenly around the batter. Bake for 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let sit for 10–15 minutes, then turn out and wrap in clingfilm while still warm to seal in the moisture. Pop them in the fridge to cool completely. 

Jam: In a saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, water, the zest and juice of a lemon, and a wee knob of butter. Simmer away on low heat for five minutes. Using a fork, press the softened cherries to mash them up roughly. Continue to simmer for another 10–15 minutes or until reduced to a sticky jam. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and cool. 

Praline: Prepare a sheet of baking paper on a heat resistant surface. On low heat, melt the sugar completely until you have a light amber colour. Use a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula to stir the sugar every now and again to ensure it doesn’t burn. Turn off the heat and pour in the chopped hazelnuts. Coat the hazelnuts evenly in the molten sugar. Pour out onto the baking paper and sprinkle the flaky sea salt over. Leave to cool completely. Chop roughly into small pieces and store in an airtight container until needed. 

Icing: Beat butter and vanilla on high until light and pale. Sift the icing sugar in three parts. Scraping down the side between each addition. Melt the white chocolate and fold it into the icing mix. Finally, whip the brandy in at a slow speed. 

Assemble the cake however you like. Layering within the cake ensures oozing decadence. 

The flavour in the cake will develop over a couple of days.