Black Forest Fruitcake

==Description==
Although this is called a fruitcake it's more like a poundcake. It's a recipe from one of the central market cooking classes.
* Contributed by Kim at Catsrecipes Y-Group
* Makes 2 large loaves or four small loaves
==Ingredients==
=== Cake ===
* 2 cups dried cherries (about 10 ounces)
* 1½ cups all-purpose flour
* ½ cup cocoa powder
* ½ tsp baking powder
* ½ tsp baking soda
* ¼ tsp salt
* 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 eggs
* 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* ¼ cup kirsch
* ¼ cup water reserved from soaking cherries
* ¼ cup cherry preserves
* 8 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
=== Syrup ===
* ¼ cup sugar
* ½ cup water reserved from soaking cherries
* 1 tbsp kirsch
==Directions==
# Place cherries in a bowl and cover with hot water.
# Let cherries steep for 30 minutes.
# Drain and reserve ¾ cup of the cherry-water.
# Place cherries on paper towels.
# Set aside to dry, patting if necessary to remove excess moisture.
# butter bottom and sides of loaf pans.
# Line bottom with parchment paper.
# butter paper.
# Preheat oven to 300°F.
# Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
# Set aside beat butter and sugar in large bowl of an electric mixer until lighter in color and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
# Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
# Mixture will look curdled.
# Mix in melted chocolate.
# Add vanilla and cherry preserves.
# On low speed, add half of flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
# Mix in kirsch and ¼ cup reserved soaking water from cherries.
# Add remaining flour, mixing just until smooth.
# Use spatula or spoon to stir in cherries and chopped chocolate.
# Transfer batter to prepared pans.
# Bake cakes at 300°F until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about one hour.
# To prepare syrup, heat sugar and ½ cup reserved soaking water from cherries in a small saucepan until sugar is dissolved.
# Take off heat and stir in kirsch.
# Pour over warm cakes in pans.
# Cool cake thoroughly in pans.
# Loosen cakes from sides of pan.
# Remove cake and discard paper on the bottom of each.
# Wrap each cake tightly in plastic wrap, then heavy aluminum foil.
# Store in refrigerator up to six weeks.
# Cut cold cake into thin slices.
== Kim's Notes ==
You can wrap the cakes in cheesecloth soaked in kirsch. These can be frozen but will last in the refrigerator forever.
__NOTOC__
Category:Cathy's Recipes
Category:Cake Recipes
Category:Dried cherry Recipes
Category:Bittersweet chocolate Recipes
Category:Chocolate chip Recipes
Category:Cocoa Recipes
Category:Cherry Recipes
Category:Semi-sweet chocolate Recipes
Category:Kirsch Recipes