Black Forest Cake

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Beat 9 eggs with the whisk attachment for 1 min on high. With the mixer on, gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue beating on high speed a full 8 min. It will be thick and fluffy.

Whisk together 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup cocoa powder and sift in thirds into batter, folding with a spatula between each addition.

Once all flour is in, continue to fold just until no streaks of flour remain, scraping the bottom of the bowl to get any pockets of flour; do not over-mix or you will deflate the batter.

Gently fold in 1/2 tsp vanilla and room temp butter, folding as you add butter in a steady stream and scraping from the bottom to make sure you don't have butter pooling at the bottom.

Fold just until incorporated. Divide batter equally between two prepared cake pans and BAKE RIGHT AWAY in fully preheated oven at 350˚F for 20-25 minutes (my oven took 22 min), or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in pans for 10 min then run a thin edged spatula around edges to loosen cake.

transfer to a wire rack and remove parchment backing. When cakes are at room temp, and you're ready to assemble, slice cake layers in half with a long serrated knife.

Making the Syrup: Roughly chop pitted cherries and place in a medium bowl with 3 Tbsp syrup. Let sit at room temp for at least 30 min, stirring a couple times, then drain cherries in a sieve over a bowl. Keep the cherries and syrup.

Add 1/4 cup cold filtered water to the syrup to get about 3/4 cup total syrup. Making the Cream: For best results freeze bowl and whisk attachment 15 min before using.

Beat 3 1/2 cups heavy cream with the whisk attachment on high speed until soft peaks form, add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp liquor and beat on high until stiff and spreadable (1-2 min). Refrigerate until ready to use.

finally :) Black Forest Cake: Place first cake layer on a cake stand and brush with 1/4 of the syrup. Cover top with about 3/4 cup frosting and top with 1/3 of the chopped cherries.

Repeat with remaining layers and top with the flattest layer. Transfer 1 1/2 cups frosting to a pastry bag with a large flower tip and refrigerate until ready to use.

Fill the cracks along the sides of cake with frosting then frost the top and sides with remaining frosting.use a potato peeler to shave a chunk of chocolate.

Cover sides and top of cake with chocolate shavings leaving a 1" perimeter on top for piping frosting. Pipe rounds of frosting around the top of the cake and place whole fruit over each one. Refrigerate cake for at least 4 hours.