My chocolate and cherry birthday cake

My Mum knows my obsession with chocolate and cherries, so for my birthday this year, she made me the most delicious chocolate and cherry birthday cake. I know, that I’m old enough to bake my own cake but it tastes so much nice when someone else bakes it for you. Don’t you agree?

My poor starved child ate a whopping three pieces of it, despite the cake being super rich. But I guess, she just really liked it. My Mum was kind enough to share her recipe with me. So, if you want to give it a go, here it is:

Chocolate and cherry birthday cake 

Ingredients (serves 8)

6 medium eggs
a pinch of salt
400g black cherries (fresh, jar or in syrup)
grated chocolate for decoration
180g caster sugar
600ml double cream
150g flour
1 pack of vanilla sugar
90g butter, unsalted
400g dark chocolate, chopped
butter (unsalted) for greasing your springform

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180°C.

Separate eggs, then whisk sugar and egg yolks with an electric whisk until creamy. Sieve the flour into the mix, but don’t fold under just yet. In a separate bowl, beat the egg white and salt until stiff.

Melt 40g of dark chocolate over a bain marie and add small pieces of butter to the mix. Then, carefully fold the chocolate and flour into the egg yolk mix. Next, repeat the same with the egg whites, 1/3 at a time.

Pour your cake mix into a greased springform and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from the springform and leave to cool on a wire rack for about 1h.

Heat your cream in a saucepan without bringing it to the boil. Add the chopped chocolate and melt. Take your saucepan off the stove and stir until chocolate has completely dissolved. Leave to cool for 3-4h until your cream has completely cooled down.

If you’re using fresh cherries, wash and de-core them. If you’re using cherries from a jar, drain them and set aside. Then, whip your cold chocolate cream and vanilla sugar until creamy.

To assemble the cake, slice your cake into 2 layers. Spread 1/3 of the chocolate cream on your first layer and garnish with cherries. Add your second layer and carefully sandwich both layers. Cover your cake with the chocolate cream, garnish with cherries and decorate with grated chocolate.

Tada, my Chocolate and cherry birthday cake. Fancy a slice?