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Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Layers
- 1 (16 oz) bag frozen cherries or fresh
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour*
- 3/4 cup Dutched cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
Vanilla Cream Layer
- 1 cup milk
- 7 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 1 envelope gelatin
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1/2 cup whipping cream
Chocolate Curls
- 1- 3 or 4 ounce very best quality chocolate bar
- *Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 310°F.
- Line a jelly roll pan (12 x 17 inches) with parchment paper and set aside.
- If using frozen cherries, thaw completely. If using fresh cherries, remove pits and set aside.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sugar and set aside.
- In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients, whisk eggs and buttermilk until well combined. Add oil, vanilla, almond extract and salt and whisk until smooth.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 cup water until hot.
- Add dry ingredients to buttermilk-egg mixture and whisk smooth. Add hot water in 3 increments, while whisking the batter smooth in between additions.
- Pour batter into pan and place in oven, bake for 37-42 minutes until center of cake bounces back when lightly pressed with a finger or until an inserted toothpick comes clean. Cake will also shrink away from sides. Allow to cool completely.
- Sprinkle cake surface with powdered sugar (optional but highly recommended), flip cake upside down onto a parchment or plastic wrap lined surface. Do not remove parchment paper from cake as leaving it makes it easier to transfer this very moist cake.
- Select a 9-inch springform pan, using a serrated knife cut 2 paper circles that will fit perfectly inside the springform pan. You will have extra cake trimmings for snacking.
- Using a small piece of paper towel dipped in oil, spread a thin layer of oil onto the springform pan sides and bottom. Sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar and shake out excess.
- Place one chocolate cake circle in springform pan and then remove paper. Scatter fully defrosted cherries or fresh cherries on chocolate layer and set aside.
- Bring milk and sugar to a boil and remove from heat. Pour gelatin into a small cup and pour water onto it. Stir well and after 5 minutes whisk gelatin mixture into hot milk. Add vanilla extract and set aside.
- Whisk 1 cup heavy cream halfway to a thick but not a peak consistency and set aside.
- Place milk-gelatin mixture into a bowl filled with ice cubes and water. Stir constantly until you see signs of slight thickening (like melting ice cream).
- Pour thickening milk mixture into whipped heavy cream and gently fold together. Pour onto cherries into springform pan.
- Place remaining chocolate cake layer onto cream and place cake in the refrigerator. Do not remove cake from pan for a minimum of 4 hours.
- For chocolate curls place a marble pastry board (or use a large marble or high gloss ceramic tile) in a freezer for 30 minutes or longer.
- Chop chocolate in small pieces and place in a microwave oven proof bowl. Melt chocolate in 7 second increments, stir in between heating. Stop once chocolate is just melted.
- Have a metal cake spatula ready. Remove cold stone from freezer and rapidly pour about 4-6 tablespoons (do not measure-guesstimate) of melted chocolate on stone. Very quickly spread chocolate as thin as you can onto cold stone.
- Using your spatula lift up pieces of chocolate and roll and fold into curled shapes.
- Repeat with remaining chocolate and keep chocolate curls cold.
- Remove springform from well chilled cake. Whip remaining cream and 1 tablespoon sugar to firm peaks. Spread onto top of cake.
- Place chocolate curls onto surface of cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Imperial Sugar Insight
NOTE: Since cherries are seasonal Chef Eddy made this cake with frozen cherries. However, fresh pitted ones will also work.
