What you need
Cake
- 1 cup water
- 1½ cups caster sugar
- 150g butter
- 1/3 cup CADBURY Bournville Cocoa
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cups SR flour, sifted
Filling
- 250g PHILADELPHIA Block Cream Cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar, extra
- 1 teaspoon gelatine dissolved in 1½ tablespoons boiling water
- 100g CADBURY Dark Baking Chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
- ½ cup thickened cream, softly whipped
- ½ x 680g jar sour cherries, drained and liquid reserved
- 50g CADBURY Dark Baking Chocolate, extra, grated
- 2 tablespoons kirsch or cherry flavoured liqueur
Sauce
- 1/3 cup caster sugar, extra
How to make it
- COMBINE the water, sugar, butter, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda in a saucepan and warm, but do not boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool for 30 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla then stir in the flour and mix well. Pour into a greased and lined 24cm round cake pan.
- BAKE in a moderate oven 180°C for 55-60 minutes or until cooked when tested. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Cool.
- BEAT the PHILLY and extra 2 tablespoons caster sugar with an electric mixer until just smooth. Add the gelatine and chocolate and mix until combined then fold through the whipped cream, drained cherries and grated chocolate.
- USE a large serrated knife to split the cake in half horizontally. Brush the cut sides of the cake with kirsch. Place a cake layer, kirsch side up in a paper lined 24cm round springform pan. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly over the cake then top with remaining cake layer, kirsch side down. Chill for 4 hours or overnight.
- COMBINE the reserved cherry liquid and remaining sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer until reduced by half. Chill.
- STAND cheesecake at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Slice and serve with a drizzle of cherry sauce. Serve immediately.
Tip: The sponge can be made ahead of time and frozen (unfilled) for up to a month. Piece of cake!