Ingredients
Chocolate sponge
- All-purpose flour: 187 grams / 1.5 cups
- Cocoa powder: 51 grams / 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 3/4 teaspoon
- White sugar: 156 grams / 3/4 cup
- Brown sugar: 156 grams / 3/4 cup (packed)
- Buttermilk: 195 millilitres / 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
- Oil: 93 millilitres / 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon
- Hot water: 195 millilitres / 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon
- Eggs: 2
Filling
- 1 cup cherries (canned or fresh)
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup water (if using canned cherries, add less water)
- 500 grams heavy whipping cream
- 5 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 packs Sahnesteif or 2 tbsp of instant pudding mix
Instructions
(I am using an 8 inch pan with 4 inch height for this recipe )
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- To make the buttermilk, add 1 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to the milk. Mix and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 eggs. Add brown sugar and white sugar (brown sugar can also be replaced with white sugar). Mix until well combined.
- Add vanilla extract, oil, and buttermilk. Mix until smooth.
- Sift flour and cocoa powder into the mixture, and add baking powder and baking soda. Mix everything together and add hot water. Whisk until combined. The mixture will be runny, but that’s ok.
- Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clear from the center (baking time depends on your pan and oven).
- Once baked, let it cool for at least 20 minutes before taking it out of the pan.
- Meanwhile, cook the cherries with water and sugar until they are soft and mushy.
Strain the water and keep the cherries aside. You can use tinned cherries as well. - Cut the sponge into 3 layers. Use a cake slicer to cut the layers, or a sharp knife if you don’t have a slicer.
- Whip the heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar until it thickens. Add sahnesteif and once the medium stiff peaks are formed stop mixing, (Alternatively, use instant pudding mix to stabilise the whipping cream; just add 1 tablespoon for 1 cup of cream.)
Assemble the cake
- Soak the cake sponge with a little bit of cherry water, add whipped cream and cherries on top, and repeat the process for the next layer.
- Cover the cake with whipped cream.
- Decorate with chocolate flakes on the sides, pipe whipped cream on top, and add fresh cherries.
