from Sharon
Ledwith
A real crowd
pleaser at small gatherings such as book clubs or intimate bridal and baby
showers, this chocolatey, sweet treat will tempt even the most disciplined of
us. If cherry is your go-to fruit that makes your mouth think you’ve swallowed
a piece of heaven, then read on if you dare to concoct this sinful chunk of
bliss.
CHOCOLATE CHERRY
CHUNK LOAF
A bit of butter
for greasing the loaf pan 1¼ cups + 1 tsp.
all-purpose plain flour
¼ cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking
powder
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup granulated
or caster sugar
1 cup cherry
yogurt 3 large eggs
lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla ½ cup mild
vegetable oil
1 cup cherries
¼ cup sweet
chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts,
chopped, use less if you prefer
Preheat oven to
350° F (175° C or 165° for fan ovens, Gas Mark 4).
Grease a 2 lb. (8
½ x 4 ¼ x 2 ½ inch) loaf pan.
Remove the pits
from the cherries and cut each one in half. Place cherries in a small bowl,
sprinkle the 1 teaspoon flour over top and toss gently.
Sift 1¼ cups
flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.
Stir in sugar,
chocolate chips, and walnuts. Set dry ingredients aside.
In a large bowl,
whisk together yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and oil.
Add yogurt mixture
to dry ingredients. Beat with a wooden spoon until all the flour is mixed in
and the batter is smooth.
Gently fold in the
flour-coated cherries.
Pour batter into prepared
loaf pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until cake tester inserted in the center of
the cake comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 20
minutes, then remove cake and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
THE GLAZE
1 cup icing sugar,
confectioner’s sugar
2 tbsp. maraschino
cherry juice
1 tbsp. water
Drop of pink food
coloring, optional
Pour icing sugar
into a bowl. Whisk in maraschino cherry juice.
Gradually whisk in
water, a drop or two at a time, until a smooth, drizzle-able consistency is
reached.
Whisk in food
coloring, if using.
While you’re waiting on your loaf to bake and cool,
how about taking a break by delving into one of my books? May I suggest a visit to Fairy Falls, or if you’re feeling really
adventurous, a trip back in time with The
Last Timekeepers?
Whichever you choose, either series will entertain and engage,
pulling you into another time and a different place.

The only witness left to testify against an unsolved crime in Fairy Falls isn’t a person…
City born and bred, Hart Stewart possesses the gift of psychometry—the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. Since his mother’s death, seventeen-year-old Hart has endured homelessness, and has learned ways to keep his illiteracy under wraps. He eventually learns of a great-aunt living in Fairy Falls, and decides to leave the only life he’s ever known for an uncertain future.
Diana MacGregor lives in Fairy Falls. Her mother was a victim of a senseless murder. Only Diana’s unanswered questions and her grief keeps her going, until Hart finds her mother’s lost ring and becomes a witness to her murder.
Through Hart’s psychic power, Diana gains hope for justice. Their investigation leads them into the corrupt world threatening Fairy Falls. To secure the town’s future, Hart and Diana must join forces to uncover the shocking truth, or they risk losing the true essence of Fairy Falls forever.
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series,
THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the teen psychic mystery series,
MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Learn more about
Sharon Ledwith on her
website and
blog. Stay connected on
Facebook and
Twitter,
Goodreads, and
Smashwords. Look up her
Amazon Author page for a list of current books. Be sure to check out THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS TIME TRAVEL SERIES
Facebook page.