Chocolate cherry layercake

With Valentine's day around the corner (tomorrow!) it only seems fitting to share this recipe! 

Chocolate and cherry works really well together, it's probably one of my favourite combinations. This cake is 3 layers of chocolate sponge and has layers of black cherry jam with a fluffy marshmallow buttercream on the inside, with a rich chocolate frosting on the outside, delicious!

Chocolate cherry cake. 

Ingredients 

For the sponge

150g unsalted butter (room temp)

75g light brown sugar 

75g caster sugar 

3 large eggs (room temp)

140g self raising flour 

40g cocoa powder

4 tablespoons of black cherry jam

For the marshmallow frosting 

40g unsalted butter

125g icing sugar

2 tbsp milk 

2 tbsp marshmallow fluff 

For the chocolate frosting 

80g unsalted butter

250g icing sugar

40g cocoa powder

3 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and grease three 6" cake tins.

2. Cream together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Break in the eggs one at a time, mixing in between each egg. 

3. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and mix well. Divide the batter between each tin and bake on the middle shelf of your preheated oven for 16-18 minutes. When your timer goes off, insert a skewer or knife into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean then it's ready! Leave the cakes to cool on the tins for 10-15 minutes then remove from the tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

4. While the cakes are cooling you can make the frostings. To make the marshmallow frosting, beat the butter and icing sugar together on a low speed, you can do this with a standing or hand mixer. Gradually add in the milk, one tablespoon at a time. Once your buttercream has come together, add in the marshmallow fluff. Mix this well on a high speed then set aside.

5. To make the chocolate frosting, beat the butter, cocoa powder and icing sugar together. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, this should bring your frosting together. Beat this for a further 5 minutes until well combined and thick. 

6. To assemble the cake, get a cake board and smear a bit of the marshmallow frosting, pop one chocolate sponge on top then put 2 tablespoons of the marshmallow frosting on to the first layer. You can then put 2 tablespoons of the black cherry jam on top of the frosting. Repeat this with the next layer of sponge.

7. Once you've completed these steps you can mask the cake. Apply a thin layer of chocolate frosting around the outside of the cake and on top. You can then put this into the fridge for 30-45 minutes; until it is quite firm to touch and the frosting/jam won't ooze out of the sides. 

8. You can now apply the rest of the Chocolate frosting, I like to use a palette knife to do this, but you can also use a piping bag. You can also decorate this cake with whatever you'd like, as it's Valentines, I thought hearts, hearts and more hearts would be appropriate! 

Happy Valentines day!