Ingredients for cake
60g butter
490g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
225ml warm milk
200g plain flour
75g cocoa
2 + 1/2 tsp baking powder
A pinch salt
Ingredients for filling
1 lb pitted cherries
1/2 cup rum/brandy/ameretto
1/4 cup cold water
Ingredients for cream cheese frosting
190g butter at room temp
430g icing sugar
1/4 tsp salt
454g cream cheese
4 tbsp reserved cherry/rum liquid
Method
1. Weigh out 1lb cherries, then de-stone them, wash them and roughly chop them
2. Put them in a bowl with the rum/ alchohol you are using and let them sit for about 1 hour (pretty much while you make the cake).
3. Heat the oven to 175 degrees. Butter and flour two 8inch cake tins
4. With a whisk attchment beat 4tbsp butter, 1 and 1/2 cups sugar, 2 eggs and vanilla on high speed for 7 minutes until smooth. Add in the warm milk and whisk until smooth.
5. Sift the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder. Fold into the batter until combined. Transfer to the cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes.
6. Rest in the tins until cool enough to handle, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Method for the frosting
1. Whisk the butter, icing sugar and salt on a low speed until combined (1 minute).
2. Turn up to medium/ high speed until pale and fluffy
3. Add the cream cheese a bit at a time and mix until combined. After it is combined, whisk for another minute.
4. Add 4 tbsp of the cherry liquid and beat for another minute.
Assembling the cake
1. Cut each cake into halves
2. Add the water to the cherry liquid and generously brush each half with the cherry liquid.
3. Smooth over some of the frosting followed by the cherries and then add another cake half on top. Continue until the cakes are assembled.
4. Spread more frosting on top and the sides.