A Birthday Celebration

Happy Birthday, to the best husband and father we could ask for!!
Hope you are enjoying your favorite cake!

Black Forest Cake
(Chocolate Ecstasy)

6 eggs
1 scant cup superfine sugar*
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
***
For the filling and topping:
4 Tbls. Kirsch, optional
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 Tbls. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 lb. jar pitted morello cherries, drained**
***
To decorate:
confectioners' sugar, for dusting
grated chocolate
chocolate curls
fresh or drained canned morello cherries
~~~~~

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease three 8" layer cake pans*** and line the base of each with a circle of baking parchment or wax paper. Whisk the eggs with the sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and very thick--the mixture should separate into long strands when the whisk is lifted.
2. Sift the flour and cocoa over the mixture and fold in lightly and evenly. Stir in the melted butter.
3. Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared cake pans, smoothing them level. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until well risen and springy to the touch. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and let cool completely.
4. Prick each layer all over with a skewer or fork, then sprinkle with Kirsch. Whip the cream in a bowl until it starts to thicken, then beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until the mixture starts to form soft peaks.
5. Spread on cake layer with a thick layer of whipped cream and top with a quarter of the cherries. Spread a second layer of whipped cream and cherries , then place it on top of the first layer. Top with the final layer.
6. Frost the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Transfer the cake to a plate dusted with confectioners' sugar. Cover the sides with grated chocolate and decorate the cake with the chocolate curls and cherries.

*I just use regular granulated sugar
**I've never been able to find this type of cherry where I live, so I use cherry pie filling and simple fish out the cherries one-by-one with a spoon~they are delicious that way!
***I don't have that many layer cake pans, so I use 2--9'' pans and it's perfect that way, too.