Just a Mum's Cherry Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 180°C bake. Prepare two 20cm round baking tins with cooking spray & baking paper, covering the base and sides of the tins.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt, stir to combine. Then sift in the cocoa, add the sugar and mix together.

In a medium bowl add the eggs, whisk gently, then add the oil, vinegar, milk, vanilla essence, and coffee and whisk together well.

Make a well in the centre of the bowl of dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Combine well until no flour or lumps remain. Pour an even amount of mixture into each of the prepared baking tins.

Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and cakes spring back to the touch. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove to cool completely on wire racks. Once cold, cake can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months wrapped well in an airtight container.

To prepare the cherry filling strain the cherries from the juice, reserving both the cherries and the juice in separate bowls. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl add ⅓ cup of the reserved cherry juice and cornflour. Mix well and set aside.

In a medium saucepan add a further ½ cup of the cherry juice, the sugar and lemon juice and slowly simmer over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Scoop out 3 Tbsp of this mixture and set aside to use as a simple syrup for brushing on the cakes later.

Add the cornflour mixture (mixing again before adding) to the saucepan and stir well. Add half the cherries and mash lightly to crush them. Then add the remainder of the cherries, uncrushed. Bring this mixture slowly to the boil, stirring often. Boil until the mixture thickens & coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat.

Allow to cool completely before using (can cool in the refrigerator if desired). Filling will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

When the cake is ready to decorate, prepare the whipped cream and store in the fridge until time to apply. In a large, cold glass or metal bowl pour in the cream, icing sugar and vanilla essence.

Using the whisk attachment of a food mixer or hand held beaters, whip the cream for 3-4 minutes until you achieve medium peaks. For the best result, check the mixture once it begins to thicken to the soft peak stage, and then whip in brief increments until medium peaks form. Medium peaks are when the whisk lifts off the cream and a peak forms and gently folds a little at the top.

To assemble the cake, place one layer of cooled cake on a cake stand or serving plate. You may wish to thinly slice off the domed top to create a flat surface. Brush the cake with half the reserved syrup then spread with a thick layer of whipped cream, leaving 1 cm clear around the edge.

Use a slotted spoon to add half of the cherries on top of the cream in a single layer, not quite to the edge of the cream.

Gently place the second layer of cake on top of the first and brush with the cherry syrup. Spread with a generous layer of whipped cream. Add the remainder of the drained cherries in a pile in the middle of the cake.

Grate dark chocolate into shards and decorate the outside edge of the cake to finish. You can pop some fresh mint leaves on the top for added colour. Allow to cool in the fridge before serving to allow the flavours to soak into the cake.