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2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1/4 cup kirsch (cherry brandy)
3 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Chocolate shavings and whole cherries, for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.
3. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined.
4. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
5. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from pans and cool completely.
7. While the cakes cool, toss the cherries with kirsch and set aside to soak.
8. Whip the heavy cream with the confectioners' sugar until it forms stiff peaks.
9. Once cakes have cooled, slice each cake layer horizontally, creating four layers in total.
10. On the first layer of cake, spread a layer of whipped cream and spoon some cherries over it, repeat with the next layers.
11. Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of whipped cream and then a second, thicker layer.
12. Garnish with chocolate shavings and whole cherries.
13. Allow the cake to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving to let it set.
Variations & Tips
For a non-alcoholic version, replace kirsch with cherry juice or syrup. If you’re in a rush, you can use canned cherry pie filling and pre-made whipped cream, though I recommend making these from scratch for the best flavor. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar in the whipped cream to suit your taste!
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