Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a springform tin (10 inches/26cm) with baking parchment and grease lightly. Set aside.

Step 2

Divide the eggs, add the egg yolks to a large bowl and set aside. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form and set aside. Add the sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix until light and fluffy – takes about 5-6 minutes. Mix the flour with baking powder, cornstarch, and cocoa powder and sift on top of the egg yolks mixture. Mix carefully, then add the stiff egg whites and fold in several portions. Add the melted butter and mix in. Fill the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Take out of the oven and let cool down in the tin for about 15 minutes, then remove carefully and let cool down completely on a wire rack. You can bake the cake a day in advance.

Step 3

Add the cherries for the filling to a sieve and let drain, collect the liquid in a pot. Add the lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon and mix in. Heat up until the mix starts to thicken, take off the heat and mix in the cherry schnapps. Add the drained cherries and mix in. Set aside.

Step 4

Cut the cake horizontally into three even layers. Place the first layer on a serving plate in a cake ring. Mix the cherry schnapps with water or cherry juice and brush the cake layer with it. Add the cherry filling on top – keep about 0.4 inches (1cm) free of filling on the edges. Place in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

Step 5

For the cream filling add the cold heavy cream to a bowl. Mix the whipping cream stiffener with sugar and vanilla sugar, then add gradually to the bowl with the heavy cream, whipping constantly until stiff peaks form. Add about half of the cream filling on top of the cherries in the cake ring and smooth out the top. Add the second cake layer on top and brush this layer as well with the schnapps mixture. Spread the remaining whipped cream on top and finish with the last cake layer. Brush again with schnapps and then place in the fridge for at least one hour.

Step 6

Whip the cold heavy cream for the filling with stiffener and vanilla sugar until stiff peaks form. Take about 6-8 tablespoons of that and fill into a piping bag with star tip and set aside. Use the rest of the whipped cream and cover the cake with it. Sprinkle the sides with chocolate shavings, decorate the top with 12 cream swirls along the edges and place a cherry on each swirl. Sprinkle the center with some chocolate shavings. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 2 hours.