Ingredients
Chocolate ganache
Chocolate curls
Method
1.Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Lightly grease deep 22cm round cake pan; line base and side with baking paper.
2.Break chocolate into medium saucepan, add butter, sugars, water and coffee. Stir over low heat for about 2-3 minutes, or until smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl; cool 10 minutes.
3.Whisk flours, cocoa, eggs and buttermilk into chocolate mixture.
4.Pour mixture into pan. Bake for about 1 hour 20 minutes. Stand cake in pan 20 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool.
5.Meanwhile, to make chocolate ganache: Break chocolate into small saucepan; add cream and brandy. Stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes, or until smooth. Stand until thickened and spreadable.
6.Meanwhile, to make chocolate curls: Have chocolate at room temperature. Scrape the blade of a large sharp knife, or cheese slicer, over the flat side of a chocolate bar. Or, use a vegetable peeler to make smaller curls.
7.Split cake in half; sandwich with half the ganache. Top with whipped cream and cherries. Spread cake top with remaining ganache; top with chocolate curls and maraschino cherries.
Cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer (without ganache) for 2 months.
Note
