Serves: 24, Calories: 336

Ingredients

Cake:

• 400g caster sugar.  1600
• 120ml veg oil, OR, 160g soft butter.  1202
• 3 large eggs.  225
• 1 tsp fine coffee powder
• 100ml sour cream (optional).  187
• 260g plain flour, sifted.  889
• 90g natural cocoa powder, sifted.  299
• 3 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 200ml milk (room temp / microwave from cold on defrost for 40 secs).  98

Buttercream Topping: (whisked)

• 50ml cherry brandy/kirsch drizzle.  112
• 340g TtD cherry jam.  846
• 190g butter, softened.  1427
• 265g icing sugar, sifted.  1060
• 25ml cherry brandy/kirsch.  56
• 15g dark choc vermicelli to decorate.  74

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and line 12x9" Pyrex roaster.
3. All ingredients must be warm room temp.
4. Cake: In large mixing bowl; Cream butter and sugar.
5. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well between additions.
6. Whisk in sour cream.
7. Briefly fold in ½ flour, ½ cocoa, plus baking powder, salt, coffee and ½ milk.
8. Fold in remaining flour, cocoa and milk until just combined.
9. Pour into dish. Bake for 75 mins. Cover with foil from 35 mins.
10. Cool for 40 mins in dish. Remove. Cool completely. Drizzle with cherry brandy/kirsch.
11. Buttercream: In medium Pyrex bowl; Whisk butter and icing sugar, with a fork, until pale and creamy.
12. Whisk in cherry brandy/kirsch until smooth and spreadable.
13. Top cake with jam, then buttercream and vermicelli.

Calories = 8075

• 8075 / 24 = 336
• 8075 / 20 = 404

Tip: Makes 24 cupcakes. Bake for 16-20 mins.

Tip: Substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt, OR, Mascarpone, OR, leave out entirely. Cake will taste fine but not be as moist after 2 days.