LITTLE CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKES

Little Chocolate Cherry Cakes image

Yield Makes 6 little cakes

Number Of Ingredients 10

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1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) dried sour cherries
1/4 cup eau-de-vie de framboise or other raspberry liqueur
3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
confectioners' sugar for sifting over cakes

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F. and generously butter six 1/2-cup muffin tins.
In a small saucepan simmer cherries in liqueur, stirring, until all liquid is evaporated and let cool.
In a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk in granulated sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add flour and salt, stirring until just combined, and fold in cherries.
Divide batter among muffin tins and bake in middle of oven about 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Turn cakes out onto a rack and cool. Cakes keep at room temperature in an airtight container 4 days.
Cut out a 1 1/4-inch paper heart and center on a cake. Sift confectioners' sugar over cake and carefully remove heart. Sift sugar over remaining cakes in same manner.