Black Forest Gateau

Grease and line 3 six inch cake pans. Preheat oven to 175ºC

Sift together the flour, baking soda and powder, salt and cocoa powder.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs and yolks in one at a time, then add in the coffee.

In three batches, mix in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Don't over-mix!

Divide batter evenly into pans and bake about 25 - 30 minutes or until the centers are done. Allow to cool in pans for about 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack. 

Drain the jars of cherries, reserving the juice. Pour kirsche over the cherries and place to one side allowing them time to absorb the cherry liqueur.

Add the cornflour into a small saucepan, make a paste with a small amount of the reserved juice, then stir in the remaining juice. Place over a medium heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring until thickened, then simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

There is an option to use fresh cherries here instead of canned - if that's your preference then for the 'juice' use instead a sugar syrup base of equal water to sugar.

At this stage you can add kirsche depending on your taste.

Chop the Kirsche soaked cherries, add them to the thickened juice and leave to cool.

Add butter and icing sugar to a large mixing bowl or free standing mixer bowl.

Beat until the butter and icing sugar come together and forms a thick paste.

With your beater on slow speed, add the vanilla extract followed by the cream, making sure it's well incorporated and smooth.

Finally, beat on high speed for another 5 minutes, then it's ready to go!

Take one layer of your baked sponge and round off the top edge with a knife to create a domed effect - This will be the very top layer on your cake.

Start with your first cake layer, pipe a ring of buttercream as a 'dam' and then add your cherry filling into the middle. Cover the filling with a layer of more buttercream to seal and place your next layer of sponge on top. Repeat until you've reached your final layer (the dome piece).

Chill your stacked cake for 10 mins for firmness then cover your entire cake with buttercream, Add a little extra on top to give your little ghost a little point.

Add two little sticks into the sides of your cake and pipe two little ghost arm.

For extra decoration add extra buttercream to the base rim of your cake and smooth out for a more 'floaty sheet' look

Finally give your little friend some eyes and a mouth by piping black buttercream.