Black Forest Chocolate Fudge Cake

2 cups cake flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 egg white

1 cup prune puree -- see note

3/4 cup nonfat milk

4 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons instant espresso coffee powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups frozen pitted unsweetened dark sweet

cherries coarsely chopped -- thawed and well drained 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Powdered sugar -- for dusting (optional) Additional cherries (fresh or frozen) -- and 1 sprig mint -- for garnish

Directions

* Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 3- to 4-quart bundt or other tube p an with vegetable cooking spray. Into large bowl sift flour, cocoa, baking pow der and salt; mix in brown sugar. In another bowl whisk eggs with prune puree, milk and vanilla.

* Pour boiling water into measuring cup; stir in espresso powder and b aking soda. Stir egg and water mixtures into flour mixture; mix just until blen ded. Pour half the batter into pan; sprinkle cherries and walnuts evenly over batter.

Pour in remaining batter.

* Bake in center of oven about 45 minutes until pick inserted into cak e comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes; invert onto rack, remove pa n and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar; place on serving plate. Fill cake center with additional cherries and garnish with mint.

Prune puree: Combine 1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) pitted prunes and 6 tablespoons hot wa ter in container of food processor. Pulse on and off until prunes are finely c hopped. Makes about 1 cup.

YIELD: 16 servings

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 221 calories; 4 g fat; 27 mg cholesterol; 201 mg

sodium; 43 g carboh ydrate; 1 g fiber; 5 g protein.

All ingredients are available for a fraction of the cost when purchased in the bulk section of your supermarket or food co-op. A flavorful sensation when adde d to reduced fat sour cream or yogurt.

SOURCE: CALIFORNIA PRUNE BOARD