When it comes to Christmas cake, I always choose chocolate over candied peel and cloves. I’ve been baking this beauty on Boxing Day for a few years now, and 2014 was no exception. Along with a huge ginger glazed ham, an epic cheeseboard and an array of festive leftovers, it helped feed 14 members of my family.

The delicious combination of dense, dark chocolate and ruby red cranberries creates an air of decadence. Served warm with cream or ice cream, it would also make an ideal dessert at a New Year celebration.

You will need:

• 375g dark chocolate {70% cocoa solids}
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 200g ground almonds
• 50g plain flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 170g low fat Greek yogurt
• icing sugar, for dusting

{Cranberry Filling}

• 300g Cranberries
• 4 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 5 tablespoons creme de cassis
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Begin by making the cranberry filling. Stir the cranberries, caster sugar and cassis over a medium heat until thick and jam-like. Add the vanilla extract and set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, break the chocolate pieces and melt gently in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool.

3. Line the base of a 25cm loose bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper. {I used my 20cm tin and adjusted the cooking time accordingly.} Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, then beat in the remaining ingredients. Fold in the cooled melted chocolate.

4. Tip half the batter into the tin, then top with the cranberry mixture, spreading it evenly and leaving a 3cm border. Top with the remaining batter and bake for 35-40 minutes until set. Leave to cool in the tin.

5. Serve warm or at room temperature. Remove the cake from its tin, top with a few stray cranberries and dust with icing sugar. Serve with double cream or vanilla ice cream, if liked.

What did you bake this Christmas?

Love Audrey xxx

Original recipe via December 2011 Waitrose magazine