Chocolate Coffee Cake With Dried Fruits and Nuts

Lalaloula's Note:

This is not your ordinary chocolate cake. It is studded with chocolate chunks, dried fruit and nuts. There's also some coffee in there to enhance the chocolate flavour. Feel free to play with the add ins in order to make this suit your taste best.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 loaf cake

• 145 g butter, softened
• 50 g sugar
• 3 teaspoons chocolate spread
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 3 eggs
• 300 g flour (can use part whole wheat)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 75 g mixed dried fruits and nuts (I used almonds, sultanas, hazelnuts and walnuts)
• 100 g semisweet chocolate chunks
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 5 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. In a big bowl cream butter and sugar for at least 5 minutes (this is important!). Add the chocolate spread and espresso and beat for another 2 minutes.
2. Add each egg separately and beat in for 30 seconds each.
3. In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, mixed dried fruits and nuts and chocolate chunks.
4. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir to combine using a wooden spoon.
5. Then add milk and honey and stir to combine. Now add the remaining dry ingredients and quickly fold them inches.
6. Spread dough in a paper-lined or greased loaf pan (length of 30 cm/12 inch).
7. Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for 80 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Check after 50 minutes and if cake browns too much, cover it with a baking paper.
8. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.