Old Fashioned Chocolate Maraschino Cherry Cake

DIRECTIONS

• To make cake:
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Grease two 9-inch round baking pans, line with parchment paper or waxed paper, set aside
• In a large bowl, stir together granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and all-purpose flour
• In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract, mix well
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine
• Stir in boiling water and mix
• Pour batter into prepared pans
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
• Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes to wire racks and let cool completely
• To make Maraschino Cherry Buttercream filling:
• In a large mixer bowl, beat softened butter until completely smooth and fluffy
• Slowly add half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth
• Add 5 tablespoons of cherry juice and almond extract and mix until smooth
• Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth
• Add chopped cherries and mix until completely combined
• To make Chocolate Buttercream frosting:
• In a the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter on high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of the bowl
• Sift in cocoa powder then add in powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons heavy cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until combine, scrapping down the sides of the bowls as needed and adding up to 1 tablespoon additional cream to thin if desired
• To make chocolate glaze:
• Place chocolate chips into a bowl, bring heavy cream just barely to a simmer and pour over chocolate chips
• Stir with a spatula until combined and smooth
• Allow to cool and thicken slightly before using on cake
• Assembly the cake:
• Place one of the chocolate cake rounds on a serving platter
• Spread maraschino cherry buttercream filling over the cake
• Set another cake layer on top of the filling and spread chocolate frosting over the entire cake
• Drizzle the chocolate glaze around the edge of the cake then pour the remainder of the glaze on top of the cake and spread evenly
• Allow the glaze to firm then pipe chocolate frosting around the edge of the cake and top with cherries, sprinkle with sliced almonds if desired
• Serve