Chocolate Cherry Cake

Preparation Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

Cake In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3.Add the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix well until smooth.

4.Stir in the boiling water. The batter will be thin, but that's okay.

5.Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cherry Filling While the cakes are cooling, prepare the cherry filling. In a saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and the cherries are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache To make the chocolate ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for a minute, then stir until smooth. Add the softened butter and mix until well combined.

Assembly Once the cakes have completely cooled, remove them from the pans. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a layer of cherry filling over the top. Place the second cake layer on top and pour the chocolate ganache over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

9.Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to allow the ganache to set. Serve and enjoy!