Black Forest Cake ~ Stuff and Spice

We needed a nice 'dramatic' dessert for a special occasion and I wanted something different from the classic cheesecake. I thought my favourite cake would suit the occasion well: Black Forest Cake :)

Ingredients:
Makes a 9-inch four layer cake

2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cans black cherry pie filling
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
chocolate curls to decorate
fresh cherries to decorate

Directions:
Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Grease and flour two 9 inch, round, cake pans; cover bottoms with waxed paper.

In a large bowl combine flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove to racks to cool completely.

Combine whipping cream and confectioner's sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.

With a long serrated knife, split each cake layer horizontally in half. Reserve 1 1/2 cups Frosting for decorating cake; set aside. Gently brush loose crumbs off top and side of each cake layer with pasty brush or hands. To assemble, place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of frosting and cherry topping. Top with final cake layer. Frost side of cake. Pat chocolate curls onto frosting on side of cake. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip. Pipe around top and bottom edges of cake. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining chocolate curls.