CAKE IN THE HOUSE

Ta da! An indulgent spiced chocolate cake, topped with sugared cranberries, that tastes as good as it looks.

CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

Serves 6-8

3 free range eggs

275g dark brown sugar

Zest of 1 orange

150g plain yogurt

125g butter

2 tbsp honey

100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa) 1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

Big pinch of nutmeg, cloves and salt ¼ cup cocoa powder

200g self-raising flour

150g hazelnut flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda For the sugared cranberries: 175g fresh cranberries 200g granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/

Gas 4. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the orange zest and yogurt and beat again. Melt the butter, honey and chocolate together in a bainmarie and then add to the batter and mix.

Add the spices, salt and cocoa and mix well. Finally, add the flours, baking powder and baking soda and gently fold in.

Transfer the batter to a greased bundt pan and bake for around 40-50 mins. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

While the cake cooks, make the sugared cranberries: place 50g of sugar along with 120ml of water in a pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil until the sugar is dissolved. Pour in the cranberries and coat with the syrup then remove and dry on a wire rack for at least 1 hr.

Roll the still sticky cranberries in the remaining sugar and leave to dry for at least another 1 hr. To serve, dust the cake with cinnamon icing sugar, and top with the sugared cranberries.

Cook’s note: If you’re not a fan of cranberries, you can also top the cake with a chocolate ganache. The sugared cranberries can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.