Creating Cherry Mash Bars is both fun and straightforward. Follow these steps to whip up your delicious bars:

1. Preheat the Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, mix the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until a thick batter forms.
5. Spread the Batter: Pour half of the chocolate batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
6. Add Cherry Filling: Spoon the cherry pie filling over the chocolate batter, spreading it gently to cover as much as possible.
7. Top with Remaining Batter: Carefully dollop the remaining chocolate batter over the cherry filling. Do not worry if the filling peeks through; it adds to the rustic look.
8. Sprinkle with Nuts: If using, sprinkle the chopped nuts on top of the batter and gently press them in.
9. Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
10. Cool and Dust: Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the pan. Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar before cutting into squares.