Chocolate & Cherry Loaf Cake

INGREDIENTS
LOAF CAKE
• 240g fresh cherries, stoned, halved, and tossed in a little plain flour
• 200g unsalted butter
• 100g light brown sugar
• 100g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 150g plain flour
• 80g ground almonds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 75g milk chocolate, melted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 50g natural yoghurt

ICING
• 200g butter
• 400g icing sugar
• Couple of drops of cherry essence
• 1 tsp milk

OPTIONAL DECORATION
• 6 fresh cherries
• 50g milk chocolate, melted

METHOD
1. Grease and line a loaf tin and preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
2. Using a stand or electric hand mixer beat together both sugars and butter until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, melted milk chocolate and natural yoghurt and beat again until thoroughly combined.
4. Add in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder and beat again until fully combined.
5. Add the chopped cherries and using a spatula or spoon stir through the cake batter
6. Pour into your lined tin and bake on your middle shelf for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the cherry buttercream:
8. Beat the butter until pale and creamy. Add in the icing sugar and beat again until soft.
9. Add the cherry essence and milk and beat again until you have a spreadable creamy consistency.
10. Either pipe or spread across the cooled cake, decorate with a drizzle of the melted milk chocolate and fresh cherries (optional)

ENJOY! If you opt for Chocolate & Cherry Loaf Cake, please do share a picture!