Let’s face it, everyone’s a sucker for chocolate. I’m always in search for twists to conventional chocolate based recipes, just to make them that much more interesting. That’s when I came across this recipe. I was initially apprehensive about the quantity of jam used – but after trying it a couple of times, I found that the jam adds just a tinge of flavour so as not to take away from the chocolate, while giving just the right amount of moisture and texture to the cake as well.

Ingredients

• 1 cup seedless black raspberry preservatives (or jam)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ Hershey’s cocoa powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 16 oz dairy sour cream (or yoghurt)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar

Method

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12 cup fluted tube pan. Place ¾ cup preserves in small microwave bowl. Microwave at high for 30-45 seconds or until melted, then cool. Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add butter, sour cream ,eggs, vanilla and melted preserves; beat on medium speed of electric mixer for about 3 to 5 mins until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes remove from pan to wire rack. Place remaining ¼ cup preserves in small microwave safe bowl until melted; brush over warm cake. Cook completely. Garnish with icing/powdered sugar.

I’d say experiment with the recipe a bit – try out different flavoured jams and see how it turns out! Good luck!