Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- CAKE* -----------
- 6 eggs, large
- 1 cup flour, sifted
- 2-1/2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
- 1-1/2 tablespoons Kirsch liqueur
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- FILLING -----------
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons Kirsch liqueur
- TOPPING** -----------
- 2 cups sour cherries, drained; pat or air dry***
- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate bar (shaved pieces)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Preparation:
Cake:
Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla together until fluffy. Fold flour into mixture. Divide mixture in 3 parts. Fold baking chocolate into 2 parts. Into the other 1/3 batter fold in the Kirsch. Pour batter into 3-8" prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 15 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes; turn out onto racks to finish cooling.
*Being very short on time, I used two cake mixes: one chocolate and one white. I substituted milk for the water in both mixes. I added Kirsch to the white cake mix. Since only one white cake layer was needed for this recipe, I froze the unused layer to be served at another time.
Filling:
Beat sugar and butter together until blended. Add egg yolk; beat until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Fold in Kirsch.
Assembly:
Place 1 chocolate layer on dish. cover top with 1/2 of the cream filling. Spread 3/4 cups cherries evenly over filling. Place white layer on top. Repeat filling/cherry procedure. Place last chocolate layer on top. Fold powdered sugar into whipped cream. Cover sides and top with most of the whipped cream. Press most of the chocolate shavings on top and sides of cake. Place remaining 1/2 cup cherries on top of cake. Finish decorating with remaining shavings/curls and whipped cream. Chill until ready to serve.
**I used twice as much whipped cream and half as much chocolate shavings.
***It was not cherry season when I made this dessert, so I used canned sour cherries.
