Caramel cream and sour cherry cake

Ingredients

For the cake layers

• 6 eggs
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 4 tablespoons buttermilk
• 7 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the cream

• 150 g sugar
• 700 ml milk
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 250 g mascarpone
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 300 g pitted and drained sour cherries

For the syrup

• 200 ml water
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

For the glaze

• 70 g dark chocolate
• 30 g milk chocolate
• 100 ml liquid cream

For decoration

• 30 g hazelnuts
• 6 strawberries
• 30 g chocolate sticks

Preparation

1. Put the sugar for the cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and caramelize over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until completely melted. Dissolve the cornstarch in a few tablespoons of the cold milk. 2. Pour the remaining milk over the caramel and stir for about 5 minutes, until the caramel dissolves. Add the dissolved cornstarch and cook over low heat for 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens to a pudding-like consistency. 3. Cover the cream with plastic wrap and leave it to cool for 60 minutes. Briefly beat it, add the mascarpone and vanilla for the cream, then beat until smooth. 4. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with the sugar until pale, then mix in the oil and buttermilk. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder and vanilla for the cake layers. 5. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff peaks form. Fold them into the yolk mixture with gentle movements. Divide the batter into three equal parts. 6. Line a 24 cm round pan with parchment paper. Bake each layer separately at 180°C for 10 minutes, then leave them to cool for 30 minutes. The layers are ready when baked through and springy to the touch. 7. Stir the water and powdered sugar until the sugar dissolves, then add the vanilla for the syrup and the lemon zest. Drain the sour cherries well. 8. Put the first layer on a serving plate and secure a cake ring around it. Lightly brush it with syrup, spread over a third of the cream and sprinkle with half the sour cherries. Add the second layer, brush it with syrup, then add another third of the cream and the remaining sour cherries. 9. Add the last layer, brush it with syrup and spread a little cream over the top, reserving 3-4 tablespoons for the sides. Refrigerate the cake for 4-5 hours. 10. Remove the ring and smooth the reserved cream over the sides. Make stripes with a cake comb or a fork. 11. Break the chocolate into pieces and put it in a stainless steel bowl with the liquid cream. Set the bowl over a saucepan of hot water, without letting the bottom touch the water, and stir for 5 minutes, until the chocolate melts. Let the glaze cool for 2-3 minutes, then pour it gradually into the middle of the cake, letting it run towards the edges. 12. Decorate with hazelnuts, strawberry halves and chocolate sticks. Refrigerate the cake for another 2-3 hours before slicing.