Ingredients
670g jar pitted morello cherries
¼ cup cherry-flavoured liqueur (Kirsch)
600ml tub thickened cream
180g block black forest milk chocolate, finely chopped,
Extra chopped black forest chocolate, to decorate
CAKES
½ cup cocoa powder
225g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature
1¼ cups caster sugar
3 eggs
1 ½ cups plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3/4 cup milk
Method
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Grease two 20cm round cake pans. Line bases and sides with paper, extending paper 2cm above pan edges.
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To make cakes, combine cocoa with 1/2 cup boiling water in a heatproof jug. Whisk until smooth. Cool.
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Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Reduce speed to low. Beat in cocoa mixture. (Mixture will look curdled at this stage.)
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Fold in combined sifted flours and soda with milk, in two batches. Divide evenly between prepared pans. Smooth over tops.
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Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Remove. Stand in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool.
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Drain cherries, reserving ¼ cup syrup. Combine reserved syrup with liqueur in a small jug. Set aside 15 cherries for decoration.
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Beat cream in small bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Transfer 1 ½ cups whipped cream to a separate bowl. Refrigerate, covered. Fold chocolate into remaining whipped cream.
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Using a large serrated knife, cut cakes horizontally in half. Place one cake layer, cut-side up, on a serving plate. Brush with some of the syrup mixture. Spread with one-third of the chocolate cream. Top with one-third of the remaining cherries. Repeat layering with remaining cakes, syrup mixture, chocolate cream and cherries, finishing with a cake layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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To serve, beat reserved cream until firm peaks form. Spread over top of cake. Decorate with reserved cherries and extra chopped chocolate.