A post by Lemon Tart Table

Ingredients

• 180 g all-purpose flour
• 45 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 180 g granulated sugar
• 6 g baking powder
• 3 g baking soda
• 2 g fine salt
• 2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells)
• 120 g buttermilk
• 90 g neutral oil
• 5 g vanilla extract
• 120 g hot coffee or hot water
• 300 g pitted cherries, fresh or thawed frozen, divided
• 30 g granulated sugar, for cherry filling
• 15 g lemon juice
• 10 g cornstarch
• 15 g cold water
• 500 g cold heavy cream (at least 35% fat), divided
• 45 g powdered sugar
• 5 g vanilla extract, for cream
• 120 g dark chocolate, for shavings

Let’s make it

1. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 20 cm round cake pan and line the base with baking paper.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Stir in the hot coffee or water. The batter will be thin.
3. Pour into the pan and bake for 28–33 minutes, until the center springs back lightly and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
4. Chop 200 g of the cherries. Put them in a small saucepan with 30 g sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir the cornstarch with 15 g cold water, add it to the cherries, and cook for 1 minute until glossy and thickened. Cool completely.
5. Whip 350 g cold cream with powdered sugar and 5 g vanilla to medium-firm peaks. Keep chilled. Level the cake if needed, then split it horizontally into two even sponge layers.
6. Set the bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread the cooled cherry mixture over it, leaving a 1 cm border, then spread about a third of the whipped cream over the cherries. Top with the second sponge layer.
7. Whip the remaining 150 g cream to firm peaks. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin, textured coat. Press chocolate shavings over the top and sides. Pipe several cream swirls on top and place the remaining 100 g cherries on or beside the swirls.
8. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm the cream. Cut into 8 wedges with a warm, wiped knife. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Kitchen notes

This is an AI-assisted recipe in development, not kitchen-tested; the photo is decorating inspiration rather than the tested result. Contains wheat, eggs, milk, and chocolate; check ingredient labels for additional allergens.

Recipe in development · not kitchen-tested.