This Cake is a Lie
This was a triumph!
I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS!
It's hard to overstate my satisfaction.
...especially when it comes to this cake. It's great, it's bursting with chocolate cherry flavor, and it's so delicious and moist.
Inspired by | Portal
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
3 cups sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
3 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup confectioner's sugar
2 15 oz cans of tart cherries
½ cup cherry liqueur (can substitute 1/2 cup reserve cherry juice from tart cherry cans)
¼ cup cornstarch 6 oz block of dark chocolate, cut into thin shavings
8 maraschino cherries
First you will be baked. Then there will be cake.
Directions
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F; grease three 9" round cake pans and cover the bottoms with wax paper.
In a large bowl, sift together the dry batter ingredients: flour, 2 cups of sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well blended: eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until well combined. Evenly divide the batter between the three prepared pans.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
While the batter is baking, prepare the cherry filling. Drain the cherries, reserving the juice; combine 1/2 a cup of reserve cherry juice, cherries, 1 cup of sugar, and cornstarch in a non-stick saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring continuously. Set aside to cool completely before using.
Once the cakes have cooled, run a knife along the edges to loosen from their pans and remove the wax paper.
Make the whipped cream icing by pouring the heavy whipping cream and confectioner's sugar into a chilled bowl. Beat on high speed until it forms a thick, frosting-like consistency.
Now it's time to layer the cake! Place the first layer down and drizzle with 1/3 of the cherry liqueur/reserved cherry juice. This infuses the cake with cherry flavor and keeps each layer moist. Next, spread a thick layer of whipped cream frosting on top, and top with 1/2 of the cherry filling. Repeat for the second cake layer. Then top with the final cake layer, drizzling with the remaining cherry liqueur/juice.
Frost the cake generously; gently press the chocolate shavings into the sides and onto the top of the cake, coating thoroughly.
Spoon the remaining frosting into a pastry bag with a star decorator tip. Pipe into eight circles on top of the cake, placing one maraschino cherry into the center of each. Share with friends. Huge success!
Tips!
The batter may overflow slightly as it bakes; place a tray under the pans to catch any drippings.
To speed up making the whipped cream icing, chill the bowl and mixers just prior to using. Science!
