Chocolate Cherry Torte 01 – Country Living

CHOCOLATE CAKE
1/4 c Boiling water 1 1/4 c Cake flour
1/4 c Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 ts Salt
3/4 c Granulated sugar 1/2 ts Baking powder
1/3 c Vegetable shortening 1/4 ts Baking soda
2 lg Eggs 6 tb Buttermilk
1 ts Vanilla extract

-CREAM-CHEESE FILLING-
1 pk (8-oz) cream cheese, -(recipe follows)
-softened 56 Inches decorative ribbon
1/2 c Confectioners’ sugar -(opt.)
1 c (1/2 pint) heavy cream Fresh sweet cherries (opt.)
Chocolate Meringue Twigs

1. Prepare Dried Cherry Filling: In small saucepan, combine dried
cherries, water, and 2 T sugar. Beat mixture to boiling over high
heat; reduce heat to low and simmer cherries until soft and liquid is
reduced by half. Remove from heat and transfer half of cherry mixture
to blender or food processor fitted with chopping blade; process
until a chunky puree forms. Return pureed mixture to saucepan with
remaining dried cherry mixture; add cornstarch and stir until well
blended. Heat mixture to boiling, stirring constantly; cook until
thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 T Marsala and the lemon
juice. Cool to room temperature.

2. Prepare Coffee Syrup: Combine coffee with remaining T sugar and 2 T
Marsala; set aside.

3. Prepare Chocolate Cake: In small bowl, stir boiling water and cocoa
until smooth; set aside to cool to room temperature. Heat oven to
350’F. Grease a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan and line with
waxed paper; grease and flour paper.

4. In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat sugar and
shortening until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after
each addition. Beat in vanilla and cooled cocoa mixture.

5. Into small bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add flour mixture to shortening mixture alternately with buttermilk,
beating until batter is smooth. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan
and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until center springs back when gently
pressed. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto
wire rack, remove waxed paper, and cool cake completely.

6. Prepare Cream-Cheese Filling: In large bowl, with electric mixer at
medium speed, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar 2 minutes. In
small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold whipped cream into
cream-cheese mixture just until blended. (Do not over-mix.)

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