Addictive cherry espresso hazelnut cake

Directions:
1. Prepare the Base:
• Begin by preheating your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a round cake pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until they are light and fluffy. This will give your cake a nice airy texture.
• Once the egg mixture is smooth, add in the ground hazelnuts, flour, and baking powder. Gently fold these ingredients together until they are well combined. The ground hazelnuts will add a lovely nutty flavor and a moist texture to the cake.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it evenly. Bake for about 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, let the base cool completely in the pan.
2. Prepare the Topping:
• While the cake is cooling, it’s time to make the rich espresso topping. Start by brewing the espresso and allowing it to cool slightly.
• Drain the cherries if you’re using jarred ones, reserving some of the juice for later. If you’re using fresh cherries, pit and chop them into smaller pieces.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the cream, vanilla sugar, whipped cream stabilizer, and the espresso powder. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, whip everything together until it forms stiff peaks. The whipped cream should be thick and airy, with a subtle coffee flavor from the espresso powder.
• Gently fold the cherries into the whipped cream, being careful not to deflate the texture of the cream too much. If you’d like a stronger cherry flavor, you can mix in a little of the cherry juice as well.
3. Assemble the Cake:
• Once the cake base has cooled completely, remove it from the pan and place it on a serving platter.
• Evenly spread the espresso whipped cream mixture over the top of the cake, ensuring the cherries are well-distributed throughout the topping.
• For an extra decorative touch, you can garnish the cake with a few whole cherries on top or sprinkle some crushed hazelnuts around the edges.
4. Serve and Enjoy:
• Chill the cake for about 30 minutes to allow the whipped cream to set and the flavors to meld together.
• Once ready, slice and serve this addictive cherry espresso hazelnut cake to your guests—though be prepared for everyone to ask for seconds (or even thirds)!