• An unusual ingredient to add to a chocolate cake, but it makes it wonderfully moist and decadent!

    Chocolate-mayonnaise cake with cherries and dark-chocolate ganache

    Serves: 6
    Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 mins

    Ingredients

    • DARK-CHOCOLATE GANACHE
    • 250ml (1 cup) fresh cream
    • 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla paste
    • 350g dark chocolate, finely chopped
    • CHOCOLATE-MAYONNAISE CAKE
    • 5 large eggs
    • 125ml (½ cup) mayonnaise (see ‘Cook’s tips’)
    • 170g castor sugar
    • 80g double-thick plain/Greek yoghurt
    • 45g cocoa
    • 180g self-raising flour
    • 1 x 425g tin black pitted cherries in
    • heavy syrup, drained
    • TOPPINGS
    • 125ml (½ cup) fresh cream, whipped and sweetened
    • ½ x 425g tin black pitted cherries in heavy syrup, drained (see ‘Cook’s tips’)
    • 40g shortbread biscuits, crumbled
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) chocolate chips
    • handful fresh mint leaves (optional)

    Instructions

    1

    For the ganache, heat the 250ml (1 cup) cream and vanilla paste in a saucepan until warm, but not boiling. Remove from heat, pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until melted. Set aside to cool until firm and spreadable.

    2

    For the cake, preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two 18cm-round cake tins generously with cooking spray or line with baking paper.

    3

    Using an electric whisk, beat together the eggs, mayonnaise and castor sugar, 2 minutes. Whisk in the yoghurt, cocoa and flour until smooth. Fold in the 425g cherries.

    4

    Divide the mixture between the 2 prepared cake tins and bake in the oven until a skewer inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean, 20 – 25 minutes. Allow to cool in the tins, 10 minutes, before transferring to wire racks to cool.

    5

    Once the cakes have cooled and the ganache has thickened, you can assemble it. Spread a third of the ganache onto one cake. Top with the other cake and cover it with the remaining ganache. Add dollops of the 125ml (½ cup) whipped cream and garnish with the 210g tinned cherries, the biscuits, chocolate chips and fresh mint, if desired.

    Notes

    If your chocolate splits while it is still warm, add a splash of cream before whisking until smooth. Keep adding more cream to emulsify the mixture. White French-style mayonnaise works best when making this cake. Your 210g leftover tinned cherries will be delicious for breakfast served atop a bowl of muesli and yoghurt or creamy oats.

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