Oven temperature: 180°C
1. Pour the warm fruit juice over the dried
cranberries and allow to soak for half an hour.
2. Beat the butter and castor sugar until
light. Beat in the eggs one at a time,
beating well after each addition. Fold in the
flour, baking powder and cranberries until
just mixed. Pour into a greased loaf tin and
bake in a preheated oven for one hour or
until a skewer comes out clean.
3. Once the cake has cooled completely,
cut it into slices and place half on the
bottom of a greased and lined loaf tin.
Drizzle with half of the alcohol if you are
using it.
4. Allow the ice cream to soften slightly
and divide into two bowls. Mix the cocoa
powder with 15ml hot water. Stir into one
of the bowls with the chocolate pieces.
Stir the coarsely chopped almonds into
the other bowl. Spoon the ice cream with
the chocolate pieces over the cake slices.
Top with another layer of sliced cake and
sprinkle with the remaining alcohol if you
are using it. Finish off with a layer of ice
cream with nuts. Smooth out the surface.
Return to the freezer and freeze for two
or three hours, or until firm.
5. To serve, melt the dark chocolate and
allow to cool. Cut the cassata into slices
and place one on each serving plate.
Drizzle with the melted chocolate and
serve immediately.