Heide's Dettinger Schokoladekirschkuchen (Chocolate almond cherry cake)

Ingredients [metric]

• 1 jar of sour cherries (also called Morello cherries)
• 1 c butter
• 1 c sugar, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Either:
• 3/4 c flour
• 1 c cake flour
• 4 oz almonds, ground
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, ground
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tb rum (preferably dark)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Drain cherries. Grease and flour a 10 inch pan. (You can probably use a 9 inch if you don't have a 10 inch. I use a springform.)

Cream butter on high speed until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, cinnamon and baking powder. Reduce speed to medium. Add one fourth of the sugar to the butter, then one egg, then one fourth of the flour mixture. Continue alternately adding the sugar, eggs and flour mixture. Stir in the rum, vanilla, almonds and chocolate. Pour batter into the pan, and drop all the drained cherries on top.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes.