Cherry Cake with Whipped Cream

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F) and grease two round pans 20 cm in diameter.

   ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 2
   Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl and add the sugar and salt.

   SifterBowl
3. 3
   Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat 2 minutes.

   Whisk
4. 4
   Add the boiling water and stir. The batter is thin, and that's fine.

   💡The boiling water blooms the cocoa and deepens the flavor, and the thin batter makes an especially moist cake.
5. 5
   Divide between the pans and bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

   OvenRound pan
6. 6
   Whip the cold cream on medium speed, until it starts to thicken.

   ⚙ WhippingBowlHand mixerorStand mixer

   💡Cold cream whips quickly and holds firm: warm cream won't hold air. Stop when the peaks are firm, before it turns grainy.

   💡Whip cream very cold, in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, and stop when it holds firm: overwhipping turns it grainy and buttery.
7. 7
   Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and keep whipping on high speed to firm peaks.

   Hand mixerorStand mixer
8. 8
   Let the cakes cool completely, spread whipped cream over one of them and scatter half of the cherries over it, set the other on top and coat it all with the rest of the whipped cream and decorate with the rest of the cherries.

   Offset spatula