Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas Mark 4). Grease and line two 20cm (8-inch) round cake tins with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer for this, which will make it much easier.175 g butter, 175 g sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the sifted flour with each egg to prevent the mixture from curdling. Stir in the vanilla extract.3 large eggs, 175 g self-raising flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted self-raising flour and cocoa powder.175 g self-raising flour, 40 g cocoa powder
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in a tough cake.2-3 tablespoons milk
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake tins. Smooth the tops. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the tins for about 10 minutes before carefully inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once fully cooled, you can wrap them in cling film to keep them moist.
- If using canned Morello cherries, drain them and reserve about 150ml of the cherry syrup. If you don’t have enough, top it up with a little water or cherry juice.500 g Morello cherries
- In a saucepan, combine the drained cherries with the reserved syrup, cornflour, and sugar. Stir well to dissolve the cornflour.500 g Morello cherries, 2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch), 50 g granulated sugar
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the filling has thickened to a glossy, jam-like consistency.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the Kirschwasser. Allow the cherry filling to cool completely.4 tablespoons Kirschwasser (cherry brandy)
- In a large, chilled bowl, pour the chilled double cream. Using an electric mixer or a whisk, whip the cream until it starts to thicken.750 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- Gradually add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract. Continue whipping until the cream holds stiff peaks. Be careful not to over-whip, or it will turn into butter.75 g icing sugar (confectioners' sugar), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- If your cake layers have domed tops, you can carefully slice them off with a serrated knife to create flat surfaces. This will make assembly easier.
- For extra moisture and flavour, you can brush the cut sides of the cake layers with a little Kirschwasser.Kirschwasser
- Place one chocolate sponge layer onto your serving plate or cake stand. Spread a generous layer of the cooled cherry filling over the sponge, leaving a small border around the edge.500 g Morello cherries
- Spoon or pipe a thick layer of whipped cream over the cherry filling, ensuring it reaches the edges.750 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- Carefully place the second chocolate sponge layer on top.
- You can apply a very thin layer of whipped cream all over the cake to act as a crumb coat. Chill for about 15-20 minutes to firm up. This step helps create a smoother final finish.750 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- Cover the entire cake with a generous coating of whipped cream. Use a spatula to smooth the sides and top.750 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- Sprinkle the chocolate shavings all over the sides and top of the cake. Decorate the top with fresh cherries or glacé cherries, and perhaps a few extra dollops of whipped cream.50 g chocolate shavings, fresh cherries or glacé cherries, 750 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to meld and the cream to set.
Notes
Properly stored, the cake should remain fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Freezing is not ideal for assembled cakes.
