Chocolate cherry cake

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the base of 2 x 20cm round cake tins and grease the sides.

Mix together the cocoa and boiling water until smooth.

Beat the sugar and butter until thickened, pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking continuously.

Fold through the cocoa mixture,sifted flour and buttermilk. Pour into the prepared tins and bake until the caken is well risen and cooked through, 20 – 25 minutes. A skewer inserted into the cake should come out clean.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tins. Turn out onto a cooling rack.

Place the cream in a pot and heat, but do not let it simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate. Pour into a large bowl and use an electric whisk to thicken the ganache. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Top each cake with ganache. Add pitted cherries to the bottom sponge. Top the second sponge with whole cherries, sandwich together and serve.