2cupspitted sour cherriesfresh, frozen or jarred, well drained
powdered sugarfor dusting
Instructions
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a mixer until light and slightly thickened. Then add the oil, yogurt, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until smooth and well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and keep mixing with the mixer just until a smooth batter forms.
Prepare a baking pan by greasing it lightly with butter or oil. Arrange a layer of cherries on the bottom of the pan, then pour the batter evenly over them. Scatter the remaining cherries on top of the batter.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes, until the cake is risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
The cherry cake is ready; let it cool, then dust with powdered sugar if you like. Slice into squares and enjoy!
Notes
Take the sour cherries out of the freezer or jar at least 20 minutes in advance and let them drain in a sieve; otherwise, they will release too much juice and the cake may remain soggy in the middle.
If you are using sour cherries from a jar, taste them and reduce the sugar in the batter by 10–20 g, as the syrup is usually already sweet.
Do not open the oven during the first 25–30 minutes of baking; sudden temperature changes can cause the cake to sink in the middle, especially with yogurt-based batters.
For a more intense cocoa flavor, you can replace 1–2 tablespoons of flour with an extra tablespoon of cocoa, but check the batter texture: it should be pourable, not thick like pound cake batter.
Slice the cake only after it has completely cooled; if you cut it while hot, the crumb may fall apart and the cherries will release more juice, resulting in messy slices.