Chocolate Cherry Pound Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups (339 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups (495 grams) granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup (151 grams) whole milk
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• 1 cup (177 grams) miniature chocolate chips
• 1 cup (160 grams) chopped cherries

 Cherry Fudge Frosting

• 2 cups (396 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) flour
• 1/2 cup (113.5 grams) whole milk
• 1/4 cup (60 grams) cherry juice
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 8 cubes
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• additional cherries and miniature chocolate chips, for decorating

Direction

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease and flour a 12 cup metal bundt pan.
2. Make the cake batter. Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluff, 1 to 2 minutes. Lower the speed to the lowest setting, then add each egg, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated before adding the next.
3. Add in half the flour, beating until combined, followed by the milk, and finally the rest of the flour. Mix in the almond extract and vanilla extract. Stir in the chopped cherries and chocolate chips.
4. Bake the cake. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top of the batter with a spatula. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out with just a moist crumb and the top of the cake springs back when pressed lightly. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before turning out to cool completely.
5. Make the frosting. While the cake cools, make the vanilla cherry fudge frosting. Mix together the sugar, flour, milk, and cherry juice in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches a hard boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Let the frosting cool for 20-30 minutes, then beat the frosting with a spoon until thick and smooth. Once thick, pour the frosting over the cake and decorate with additional cherries and chocolate chips.