- Prep time 1 hour
- Total time 5 hours & 30 minutes
- Portion size 12 servings
Ingredients
Cherry Filling:
Liquid Chocolate Ganache:
Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter with sugars until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream and milk. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, making 3 additions of flour mixture and 2 of buttermilk mixture. Grease two 13- x 9-inch baking pans; line with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pans; smooth tops.
Bake until tester inserted in centre comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pans on rack. Unmould cakes onto parchment paper-covered work surface. Set aside. (Make-ahead: Can be covered and stored for up to 2 days at room temperature or frozen for up to 1 month).
Cherry Filling
Meanwhile, drain cherries, reserving 2 cups of syrup; chop coarsely and set aside. In small saucepan, mix cherry syrup and sugar; bring to boil. Boil until half of the syrup has evaporated. In measuring cup, mix together cranberry juice, kirsch (if using) and cornstarch. Pour into syrup; cook, whisking, until thickened. Remove from heat; let cool. Gently stir reserved cherries into cranberry juice mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
Liquid Chocolate Ganache
In heavy-bottomed saucepan, mix together cream, sugar and 3 tbsp water. Bring to boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; mix in chocolate until smooth. Let stand until thickened but still pourable, about 2 hours. (Make-ahead: Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat gently in microwave until pourable.)
Using 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut cake into 24 rounds. Place half of the rounds on serving platter. Top each round with 2 tbsp filling; top with remaining rounds. Spoon 3 tbsp warm ganache over each cake. Top each cake with maraschino cherry; refrigerate until set. (Make-ahead: Can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving).
Nutritional facts PER SERVING: about
- Iron 5.8 mg
- Fibre 8 g
- Sodium 805 mg
- Sugars 75 g
- Protein 13 g
- Calories 875
- Total fat 38 g
- Saturated fat 24 g
- Total carbohydrate 118 g
