BLACK FOREST GATEAU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter three 8 inch in diameter cake pans.
• Line the bottom of each with wax paper, and butter that.
• Combine the eggs with the sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer until pale and very thick, about 5-7 minutes.
• Sift the flour and cocoa powder over the mixture and fold in lightly and evenly with a spatual.
• Gently stir in the melted butter.
• Divide the mixture among the prepared cake pans, smoothing them level.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the cakes have risen and are springy to the touch.
• Leave them to cool in the pans, on a rack, for about 5 minutes, then turn out and leave to cool completely.
• Remove the lining paper from each cake layer.
• Prick each cake layer all over with a skewer or fork, then sprinkle with Kirsch.
• Using a hand-held electric mixer, whip the cream in a bowl until it starts to thicken, then gradually beat in the icing sugar and vanilla until the mixture begins to hold its shape.
• To assemble: spread one cake layer with just under a 1/3 of the cream and top with about half the cherries.
• Spread a second cake layer with a little less than 1/2 the remaining cream, top with the remaining cherries, then place it on top of the first layer.
• Top with the final cake layer.
• Spread the remaining cream all over the cake.
• Dust a plate with icing sugar, and position the cake carefully in the centre.
• Press grated chocolate over the sides and decorate the cake with the chocolate curls and fresh or drained cherries.