Ingredients
Fresh cherries
180g salted butter
225g dark chocolate
300g plain flour
375g caster sugar
30g cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 large eggs
200g crème fraiche
1 tin pitted cherries drained (reserving 4 tbsp of the juice)
100g cherry jam
5 tbsp brandy
500ml double cream
3 tbsp icing sugar
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
Line and grease three 23cm cake tins.
To melt the chocolate, break 200g it into chunks and add to a Pyrex mixing bowl placed over a pan of simmering water, gently stir until all of the chocolate has melted.
Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarb and add a pinch of salt and mix together thoroughly. In a separate bowl add the eggs and crème fraiche and whisk together. Then add the melted chocolate and egg mix to the dry ingredients, add the brandy and the reserved cherry juice, then add 100ml boiled kettle water and combine using a hand mixer until the batter is lump free.
Divide the mixture between the tins and bake in the oven for 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Combine the drained cherries, jam in a mixing bowl, and set aside. Pour 250ml of the double cream into a small pan and gently heat through, but avoid simmering the cream. Break up the remaining chocolate and add to a Pyrex mixing bowl, then pour over the heated cream until the chocolate starts to melt, stir thoroughly to melt all of the chocolate and set aside.
Combine the remaining cream and the icing sugar together and whisk you achieve soft peaks. Spread over the tops of two of the cakes, then add the cherry mixture. Stack the cakes on top of each other. Then spread the chocolate mixture over the third cake. Decorate with fresh cherries and a little grated chocolate and serve.