Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Grease three 8in / 20cm round cake pans and line them with parchment paper.
- Beat 6 large eggs, at room temperature, with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1¼ cups of superfine sugar for 7 minutes, until tripled in volume.
- Gently fold in ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour and ½ cup of Dutch-process cocoa powder, then 150g of melted and cooled unsalted butter.
- Divide among the pans and bake for 25 minutes, until springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Drain 670g of pitted morello cherries in syrup, keeping the juice. Stir the juice with ½ cup of superfine sugar and 4 teaspoons of cornstarch over low heat until slightly thickened.
- Off the heat, stir in ⅓ cup of kirsch. Pour the syrup over the cherries and let cool.
- Whip 4 cups of heavy cream with ⅓ cup of icing sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.
- Brush a cake layer with the cherry syrup, spread with a quarter of the cream, and scatter with half of the cherries. Repeat with the second layer, then add the third and brush it with syrup.
- Cover the top and sides with the remaining cream. Press curls and shavings of 100g of dark chocolate on top and around the base, and finish with 12 fresh cherries.