Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte

Ingredients:

Cake:
6 large eggs
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract or essence
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 c. flour, sifted
Syrup:
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. water
2 tbsp. Kirsch
Filling:
1 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar / icing sugar
1/3 c. unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
2 tbsp. Kirsch

Topping:
2 c. canned sour cherries, drained
2 tbsp. confectioners' / icing sugar
1 c. heavy cream, whipped
8 oz. semisweet chocolate


CAKE: Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla together until thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Alternately fold chocolate and flour into the egg mixture, ending with flour. Pour the batter into 3 8-inch cake pans that have been well greased and floured. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes; turn out on racks to cool completely.

SYRUP: Make syrup by mixing together sugar and water and boiling for 5 minutes. When syrup has cooled, stir in kirsch. Prick the cake layers and pour syrup over all 3 layers.


FILLING: To make the butter-cream filling, beat together sugar and butter until well blended. Add egg yolk; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in Kirsch.

CAKE ASSEMBLY: To assemble cake, place 1 layer on a cake plate. Spread with butter cream filling. Using 3/4 cup of the cherries, which have been patted dry, drop cherries evenly over cream. Place second layer on cake. Repeat. Place third layer on top. Fold 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar into the whipped cream. Cover the sides and top of the cake with whipped cream.

Decorate top of cake with remaining 1/2 cup cherries. To make chocolate curls from chocolate bar, shave (at room temperature) with a vegetable peeler. Refrigerate curls until ready to use. Press chocolate curls on sides of cake and sprinkle a few on the top. Chill until serving time.