Cherries: Drain the cherries, reserving the liquid. Place the cherries in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons Kirsch. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside. Place 1 cup (240 ml) of the reserved cherry syrup in a small saucepan, along with the sugar, and heat until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, add 2 tablespoons Kirsch, and let cool.
For the cake: Preheat oven to 150oC. Butter, or spray with a non stick spray, a 16cm round cake pan and line the bottom of pan with parchment or wax paper.
Mix cocoa powder with hot water and oil, add to melted chocolate. mix well. add in vanilla and salt.
Whisk egg yolk and a third of sugar until pale, add in chocolate mixture. mix well. then fold in flour.
Whisk egg white and rest of sugar until stiff.
Fold in meringue into egg yolk mixture.
Pour into prepared pan
Bake at 150oC for 50-60mins or until done. (A little crack due to my oven temperature)
Whipped Cream Frosting: In your mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and wire whisk in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, then beat the mixture just until stiff peaks form.
Assemble Cake: Using a sharp knife, cut the genoise, horizontally, into two layers. Turn over the top layer of the cake (top of cake becomes bottom) and place on your serving plate. Brush the cake layer with 1/4 cup (60 ml) cherry syrup. Take about 200ml whipped cream and spread on the moistened genoise. Place the cherries evenly over the cream. Brush the cut-side of second genoise layer with 1/4 cup (60 ml) syrup. Place cut-side down on top of the cherries, gently pressing to compact.
Reserve 250ml whipped cream and spread the remaining cream over top and sides of cake.
Decorate with fresh cherries, shaved chocolate and chocolate curls.
Ta daaa...
