Rum and Coke Marble Cherry Cake For A Diva

Happy Fiftieth Birthday Barbie! What you need to celebrate is a fabulous Retro Dessert from Wayne Harley Brachman's cookbook. How does Rum and Coke Marble Cherry Cake sound to you?

Turning the big 5+0 is a huge deal. You're now old enough to join AARP. What's that? Are you crying? Cheer up, there are a plethora of senior discounts available. But most likely you will be carded because you don't look your age. Come on, come clean with us girl, you've had a little Nip-Tuck going on, haven't you?

"No"

What do you mean: no? And don't be shaking that gorgeous pony tail at me. I just made you a special cake. I don't need your damn attitude. Take this cake and shove it. I know you have a closet eating disorder. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. How else could you wear the same size clothes all these years. But really... get over yourself, life is short, eat some cake.

Ingredients for the cake:
1/2 cup coke
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
nonstick vegetable spray for coating the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 & 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 & 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs

Ingredients for the Rum and Coke Syrup:
1 cup coke
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the cola and dried cherries to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Melt the chocolate in a completely dry bowl or double boiler set over barely simmering water. Set aside in a warm place until ready to use.

3. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 6-cup loaf pan of Bundt pan with nonstick vegetable spray and line the bottom with a rectangle of baking parchment.

4. Into a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together, three times.

5. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at high speed for 15 seconds, until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 6 more minutes.

6. With the mixer on its lowest setting, gradually beat in the flour mixture.

7. Fold the cherries and their liquid into half of the batter and spread it in the bottom of the pan. Fold the melted chocolate into the remaining batter and add it to the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until springy, completely set, and a cake tester comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool.

8. Make the Rum and Coke syrup: In a small saucepan, boil the cola, rum, and sugar until all of the crystals are dissolved. Remove the cake from the pan by inverting onto a serving platter and soak with the syrup.

Should I tell her that Ken is having an affair with one of the Bratz?