Chocolate Cherry Brownies

The chocolate and cherry cupcakes I made in the run up to Christmas last year popped up on my timeline recently, reminding me what a fantastic flavour combination they are so I had to try to create a slightly festive and different take. These brownies mix a soft centre with generous pieces of cherry and subtle spicing to keep them seasonally appropriate. I've made these a few times now and everyone who has tried them has loved them. Really easy, this recipe would make a great holiday project with kids or a treat for friends at the end of the year. Apologies for my photography skills, the smell distracted me and I rushed the final pics so I could eat them!

Ingredients:
250g plain flour
350g demerara sugar
65g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
250ml water
250ml vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tub glace cherries, halved

Method:

Preheat your oven to 160c fan and line a 30cm by 15cm baking tray with grease-proof paper. Place all of the ingredients, other than the cherries, into a large bowl and mix until a thick batter forms. It will look like something from a sci-fi movie to start with but I promise it does all mix together.

Add in the cherries and mix thoroughly to ensure they are evenly distributed through the batter. Pour into the baking tray and gently level the top with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes until springy to the touch then allow to cool for 15-20 minutes in the tray before turning out and removing the paper and allowing to cool completely.

Portion the brownies as you wish then serve with a large cup of tea.

Enjoy!

When you make these, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife