Mocha Cherry Cake with Maple Butter Glaze

Day-dreaming is a great escape from reality.

Most of the time, I think about food.

I love the jingle-jangle of metal measuring cups, the pretty spots on free-range eggs, and how, sometimes, flour falls artfully onto the countertop.

Sitting at the car wash can easily lead to day-dreaming.

*yaaaawn*

It was a miracle I was there, actually, but my car was filthy.

I hate going to the car wash.

My parents used to own one. Dad used to take a different car from home to work each day and bring it back sparkling.
The guys would put so much Armor All on the steering wheel that you could barely grip it.

Those were the good ol’ days.
Now, I have to sit there, quietly, tapping my foot, waiting for my car get a bath.

It’s boring there
and noisy.

Not much to do, except eat a Haagen-Dazs bar and flip through the pages of a magazine.

This one time, there were very pretty pictures and a very nice recipe.

Then I couldn’t wait to go home and bake with Daisy.

She loves to help, especially with baking and washing dishes.

We baked a mocha cherry cake in our li’l toaster oven (because it’s too hot to run the big oven).
Then, we covered it with a luscious maple-butter glaze.

It turned out oh-so pretty.

Silky batter…

Chocolate paired with cherries soaked in coffee…

The headline read, ‘Mom’s … recipe.’

Did I mention the glaze?

Mocha Cherry Cake with Maple Butter Icing
Inspired by Good Housekeeping
Serves 8 Bored Car Wash Patrons

Materials

For the Cherries:
4 shots espresso
or 2 tsp instant coffee +1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
2 Tb brown sugar

For the Batter:
1 stick butter, at room temp
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tb sour cream or plain yogurt
2 free-range eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup chocolate chips

For the Glaze:
1 Tb butter
2 Tb maple syrup
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar


Method

Preheat oven to 350*F

Line a 13 x 9 casserole pan with parchment paper and spray walls with nonstick oil.

Hydrate the cherries:
Make the coffee and pour into a small sauce pan. 
Add the dried cherries and 2 Tb brown sugar.
Put over heat and bring to a gentle boil.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Make the batter:
Blitz the butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, sour cream (or yogurt), eggs and vanilla in a food processor. 
Then  add flour, baking soda and powder.
Blitz until just incorporated.

Disconnect the bowl from the food processor.
Gently, stir the cherries and chocolate chips into the batter by hand.
Spoon into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake 30 minutes, until you can smell the cake and  a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool thoroughly.

Make the Glaze:
Put about a tablespoon of butter in a small pot and heat to a bubble. 
When it changes to a golden brown colour and smells toasty, remove from heat.
Add maple syrup and confectioner’s sugar.
Stir until thick and smooth.

Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and allow it to set (~5 minutes).

Any idea that comes from a mom or a grandma or your second-cousin-once-removed’s aunt is sure to be a winner.
This cake is just right for a get-together with the girls and the glaze is sure to get a wide-eyed, jaw-dropped WOW.

No offense to Mom, I did make some changes.
But the original recipe is hers and great motivation to keep my car clean.

PS-Don’t forget to enter in the giveaway before month-end!