INGREDIENTS
- 175g Co-op unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 50g glace cherries
- 40g Co-op 70% cocoa dark chocolate
- 125g Co-op self raising flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon or mixed spice
- 15g cocoa powder
- 35g ground almonds
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 3 large Co-op British eggs
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 50g chopped nuts (optional)
- For the icing, 100g white chocolate, broken into squares
- 3 tbsp Co-op double cream
- Few drops almond essence
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to180C/fan 160C/Gas 4
- Grease and line a 1 litre ovenproof bowl. Chop up the glace cherries, leaving 3 whole for later
- Melt half the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl isn’t touching the water. Chop up the remaining chocolate
- Sift the flour, spice and cocoa into a large bowl
- Add the ground almonds, butter, sugar, eggs and orange zest. Whisk together until smooth and creamy
- Mix in 2 tbsp orange juice
- Fold in the chopped cherries, the melted and chopped chocolate, and nuts if using, then spoon into the ovenproof bowl. Level the surface
- Bake for 30 mins, then cover with greaseproof paper and bake for another 45 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the sponge. Leave to cool for 5 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely
TO MAKE THE ICING
- Place the white chocolate, cream and almond essence in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water
- Heat gently until melted, then stir to combine
- Spoon the white chocolate icing over the cake
TO DECORATE
- Place the 3 whole glace cherries on top of the cake and finish with a couple of holly leaves
