POMEGRANATE MOLASSES AND CHERRY CAKE

FOR THE CAKE:

1 cup dried sweet cherries, such as Bing 3/4 cup pomegranate molasses

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

3/4 cup neutral oil, such as safflower, plus

more for greasing the pan

2 cups all- purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar FOR THE COCKTAIL:

2 tablespoons pomegranate juice 2 tablespoons white rum

2 tablespoons orange liqueur, such as

Triple Sec

FOR SERVING:

Vanilla ice cream ( optional)

Roughly chop the dried cherries.

In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, pomegranate molasses, juice, and ginger. Heat until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, stirring to dissolve the molasses. Set aside to cool.

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Brush an 8- by- 2- inch square glass or ceramic baking dish with safflower oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and light brown sugar until a creamy mixture forms. Whisk in the cooled pomegranate mixture, then stir in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make the cocktail by stirring together the pomegranate juice, white rum and orange liqueur.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use a wooden skewer to punch holes all the way through to the bottom, spaced about 1 inch apart. Slowly pour the cocktail over the cooling cake.

Allow the cake to cool in the baking dish. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if you’d like. The cake will keep at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days.

Serves 9- 12.

Per serving, based on 12, without ice cream: 365 calories ( percent of calories from fat, 37), 3 grams protein, 53 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 15 grams total fat ( 1 gram saturated), 31 milligrams cholesterol, 158 milligrams sodium.

From “Fruit Cake” by Jason Schreiber. Copyright © 2020 by Jason Schreiber. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of Harpercollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

COURTESY OF ETHAN CALABRESE Pomegranate Molasses and Cherry Cake recipe from “Fruit Cake” by Jason Schreiber ( William Morrow, 2020).