Swiss Black Forest Cake

For the Cake:

1. Grease two 8" cake pans with butter and then dust with cocoa powder.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Add the chocolate to the boiling water in a saucepan and whisk over medium heat until the chocolate is a pudding-like consistency.
4. In a bowl of an electric mixer, add sugar, vanilla and chocolate extracts, and eggs. With a whisk attachment beat for 5 minutes or until the eggs have tripled in volume.
5. Sift half of the flour over the eggs and fold into batter with a rubber spatial until just mixed. Sift the remaining flour over the batter and fold in gently with a rubber spatula.
6. Gently fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the batter.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Remove cakes from pans and then reinvert the cakes so the tops are up.

For the Whipped Cream:

1. Refrigerate the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
2. Combine warm water and gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
3. Whisk together the cream, sugar, and vanilla puree until traces of beater marks show consistently in the cream.
4. Add the gelatin to the whipped cream and whisk until stiff peaks form.

Assembly:

1. Cake each cake in half to create 4 cake layers.
2. Place the first layer down on a platter and sprinkle 2 Tbsp cherry syrup on the top. Dollop and spread 1/4 of the whipped cream onto the first layer. Top whipped cream with 1/4 of the cherries.
3. Repeat step 2 with three more layers of cake, syrup, and whipped cream. Top the cake with some remaining cherry syrup and let it drip down the sides.

The recipe is adapted from The Cake Bible.