Chocolate Cherry Cake

Prepare all the necessary items: wash and dry the eggs, sift the flour. Get a heatproof bowl and a saucepan for a double boiler, a mixer, a sauté pan, a springform pan for the sponge cake, a large bowl or salad bowl for assembling the cake, plastic wrap, and a serving dish. Line the springform pan with parchment paper.

Break the chocolate into pieces and place them in a bowl with the butter. Set the bowl over a pot of boiling water (bain-marie). Melt the chocolate and butter, stirring constantly, then let it cool slightly.

Carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks. Add 0.5 cups of sugar to the yolks and beat with a mixer until a fluffy foam forms.

Add a pinch of salt to the bowl with the egg whites and beat them with a mixer until stiff peaks form. The egg white mixture should become dense and hold its shape well.

Pour the melted chocolate and butter into the egg yolk mixture and whisk thoroughly.

Into the egg yolk and chocolate mixture, sift in the flour, 2 tablespoons of starch, and baking soda. Mix everything thoroughly until smooth.

Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture until a uniform consistency is achieved.

Preheat the oven to 180℃. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the sponge cake for approximately 30-35 minutes. Once baked, let the sponge cake cool and then remove it from the pan.

Place the gelatin in a separate bowl and pour 2 tablespoons of cool water over it. In another bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of starch in 2 tablespoons of cherry juice.

Pour the remaining cherry juice into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir in ¼ cup of sugar until it completely dissolves.

Constantly stirring the juice, pour the diluted starch into the saucepan. Add the softened gelatin and heat the mixture until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Let it cool.

In a deep, clean bowl, place the sour cream, add ¼ cup of sugar, and beat with a mixer until a stable foam forms.

Pour the cherry juice with gelatin into the whipped sour cream and mix thoroughly.

Cut the cooled sponge cake into three layers of equal thickness.

Pour ⅓ of the juice and sour cream mixture onto the bottom of a large, deep salad bowl. Place one cake layer on top and cover it with the cream.

Cover the cream with the second cake layer, pour the remaining cream, and place the third cake layer on top. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. Before serving, place the bottom of the salad bowl into a bowl of hot water for a few seconds to slightly melt the jelly, then invert the cake onto a plate so that the jelly is on top and the cake layer is on the bottom.

Garnish the cake with cocktail cherries to give it a finished and appetizing look.