Rich Chocolate Fruit Cake

Ingredients

FRUIT CAKE

• 1 3/4 lb. canned pitted black cherries in syrup
• 1 c. dark raisins
• 3/4 c. finely chopped pitted dried dates
• 1/2 c. golden raisins
• 1/2 c. finely chopped pitted prunes
• 1 c. dried figs
• 1 c. marsala wine
• 1 c. pecans
• 1 1/2 stick butter
• 2 tsp. finely grated orange rind
• 1 1/4 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. self-rising flour
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. pie spice
• 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

GANACHE

• 7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/2 c. heavy cream

Directions

1. Drain cherries; reserve 1/3 cup syrup. Quarter cherries. Combine cherries with remaining fruit, 3/4 cup of the Marsala, and reserved cherry syrup in large bowl. Cover; stand overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease deep 9-inch round cake pan; line with two layers of parchment paper, extending paper 2 inches over edge of pan.
3. Process half the nuts until ground finely; chop the remaining nuts coarsely.
4. Beat butter, rind, and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until combined; beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix butter mixture into fruit mixture; stir in sifted dry ingredients, chocolate, and ground and chopped nuts. Spread mixture into pan.
5. Bake cake about 3 hours. Brush hot cake with remaining marsala, cover with foil; cool in pan.
6. Make ganache: Stir ingredients in small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes or until spreadable.
7. Spread cake with ganache; top with chocolate decoration. Dust with sifted confectioners’ sugar to serve, if you like.