BLACK CHERRY BUTTERCREAM RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a bowl, whisk flour and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk sour cream, milk and amaretto until blended. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beating well after each addition., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., In a large bowl, beat butter, vanilla and salt until creamy. Beat in enough confectioners' sugar, alternately with amaretto, to reach desired consistency. Reserve 2/3 cup frosting for piping., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting., Pipe reserved frosting around bottom edge of cake. If desired, decorate cake with flowers, using almonds for petals and M&M's for the centers. Pipe designs on frosting with melted chocolate as desired.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. With an electric mixer, beat the 175g butter with the caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, 100g melted chocolate, flour, cocoa powder and bicarb until combined. Finally, beat in the 150g soured cream. Divide between the 2 prepared tins, level the tops and bake for 30 minutes or until risen and springy to the touch. Cool the cakes in the tins for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely (see Make Ahead).
• To make the chocolate shards, lay out the baking paper on a work top, then spread thickly with 300g melted chocolate. Roll up the paper straightaway, then put in the freezer to set.
• Make the buttercream by beating the butter with the icing sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy (put a clean damp tea towel over the bowl when you start mixing to stop a cloud of icing sugar from escaping). Once the mixture is fluffy, beat in the soured cream and vanilla.
• For the filling, put the double cream in a large mixing bowl, add the icing sugar and 1-2 tbsp of the kirsch, then whisk to soft peaks using an electric mixer.
• Put one of the sponges on a cake stand or plate and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the kirsch from the cherry jar. Spread over the cream, then scatter with half the drained cherries. Sandwich the second sponge on top and use a palette knife to cover the top and sides of the cake with the buttercream icing.
• Meanwhile, put the remaining kirsch in a small pan and simmer over a medium heat until the liquid is reduced and thick and syrupy. Set aside to cool.
• To decorate the cake, take the rolled chocolate paper out of the freezer and leave at room temperature for 5 minutes. Carefully unfold and separate into long shards. Dust with cocoa, then stick the shards around the side of the cake. Arrange the reserved cherries on top, then drizzle with the reduced kirsch.