Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease a 20cm (8in) round cake pan; line base and side with baking paper. Drain cherries, reserving ½ cup (125ml) juice for cake batter, ¾ cup for the ganache and remaining juice and cherries for syrup.

Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch water); stir until melted and smooth.

Beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sour cream, chocolate mixture, almond meal, flour and reserved ½ cup cherry juice. Beat for 30 seconds or until smooth and combined.

Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for 40 minutes, cover cake with foil, cook for a further 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with soft sticky crumbs and cake is puffed with a few small cracks. Stand cake, covered, to cool completely in the pan.

Make chocolate cherry ganache.

Combine remaining syrup and cherries in a small saucepan with the extra sugar. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer for 6 minutes or until thickened. Cool.

Spread ganache evenly over top of cooled cake allowing some to drip down the side. Serve with reduced syrup and cherries.

Bring reserved ¾ cup cherry juice and cream almost to the boil in a small saucepan; add chocolate, stir until melted and smooth. Stand until thickened to a coating consistency.