← Nouns Cooking · Bakery

Ingredients

• 250 g plain flour
• 60 g cocoa powder
• 300 g caster sugar
• 1½ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• 3 large eggs
• 240 ml Buttermilk
• 120 ml vegetable oil
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 200 ml hot water or hot coffee
• 680 g jar of pitted morello cherries in syrup
• 3 tbsp Kirsch (cherry brandy) (optional)
• 100 g cherry jam
• 600 ml double (heavy) cream, cold
• 3 tbsp Icing sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 50 g dark chocolate, grated into curls
• 12 fresh cherries with stalks (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F). Butter two 20 cm round, deep cake tins and line the bases.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla, then the hot water, to make a smooth, thin batter.
3. Divide between the tins and bake for 30–35 min until a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 min, then on a rack until completely cold, about 1 hour.
4. Drain the cherries, keeping the syrup. Mix 4 tbsp of the syrup with the kirsch, or use 6 tbsp syrup for an alcohol-free cake. Whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla to soft, spreadable peaks.
5. Slice each sponge in half horizontally to make four layers. Set one on a plate, brush with the syrup, spread with a little jam, a layer of cream and a scattering of cherries. Repeat with the next two layers and top with the last sponge, brushed with syrup.
6. Cover the top and sides with the remaining cream, press chocolate curls onto the sides and pipe swirls on top, crowned with cherries. Chill for 1 hour to set before slicing.

Tips

• Kirsch is cherry brandy; leave it out for children and use cherry syrup instead.
• Whip the cream only to soft peaks: it stiffens further as you spread it.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food King Arthur Baking Joy of Baking