Black Chocolate Cake with Cherries and Whipped Cream

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F) and grease a round pan 24 cm across.

   ⚙ 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
   Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler and let cool slightly.

   Double boiler (bain-marie)orMicrowave

   💡In the microwave, melt in short bursts, stirring in between, until the chocolate and butter are smooth and liquid.
3. 3
   Whip the eggs and sugar 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale and fluffy.

   ⚙ WhippingBowlHand mixerorStand mixerorWhisk

   💡Room-temperature eggs whip better than cold eggs. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Warm eggs also make a more stable foam that holds up in the oven.
4. 4
   Fold the melted chocolate into the whipped eggs gently.

   ⚙ FoldingSilicone spatula

   💡Fold with a spatula, in broad strokes from the bottom up, and stop when there are no streaks: vigorous mixing knocks the air out of the foam. Add whipped mixtures in stages: a quarter first, to lighten the mixture.
5. 5
   In a few additions, alternating with the milk: sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder over the top, add the salt and Fold gently, just until the batter is smooth.

   ⚙ FoldingSilicone spatulaSifter

   💡Fold with a spatula, in broad strokes from the bottom up, and stop when there's no dry flour: vigorous mixing of a batter with flour develops gluten.
6. 6
   Pour into the pan.

   Round pan
7. 7
   Bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

   ⚙ BakingOvenRound pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
8. 8
   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.
9. 9
   Add the powdered sugar and keep whipping on high speed to firm peaks.

   Hand mixerorStand mixer
10. 10
    Let the cake cool completely.
11. 11
    Split the cooled cake horizontally into two layers. Spread cream on the bottom layer and scatter half of the cherries over it, put the top layer back on and cover the whole cake with the rest of the cream. Decorate with the rest of the cherries and scatter the garnish on top.

    KnifeOffset spatula
12. 12
    Chill 1 hour before serving.

    Refrigerator