Ingredients
| 1 cup | dried Rainier cherries |
| 6 ounces | SCHARFFEN BERGER 99% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate |
| 2 cups | all-purpose flour |
| 1/2 teaspoon | baking soda |
| 1/2 teaspoon | salt |
| 16 tablespoons | (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature |
| 2 cups | sugar |
| 1 teaspoon | vanilla |
| 2 | eggs, at room temperature |
| 1 cup | buttermilk, at room temperature |
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Soak the cherries in hot water for at least 15 minutes, or until needed.
3. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water. Remove from the heat.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together and sift them into a bowl or onto a sheet of wax paper.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar for several minutes until the mixture is pale and light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate and the vanilla.
6. Beating on low speed, add one third of the flour mixture followed by half of the buttermilk. Repeat with another third of the flour followed by the remaining buttermilk. Finally mix in the rest of the flour. Drain the cherries and mix them into the batter.
7. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Special Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking pan, greased
