• Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
• Grease an 18cm square deep cake tin and line the base with parchment paper.
• Sift the dry ingredients (caster sugar, plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda) into a large mixing bowl.
• In another bowl, whisk together crème fraîche, eggs, milk, and cold coffee until well combined.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture.
• Whisk until a smooth batter forms.
• Add vegetable oil and whisk again until fully incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25–35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Cherry Filling:

• Peel the orange zest with a vegetable peeler.
• Drain the juice from the cherries into a pan and add caster sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and the cinnamon stick.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat, let stand for 5 minutes, then remove the cinnamon stick and orange zest.
• Bring the mixture back to a boil.
• Mix cornflour with a little cold water and whisk it into the boiled juice.
• Return the mixture to the pan, boil, and simmer for 3-4 minutes, whisking continuously.
• Add the drained cherries, transfer to a clean bowl, and allow to cool completely.

For the Syrup:

• In a pan, combine caster sugar and water, bringing it to a boil.
• Remove from heat and stir in the kirsch.
• Let cool.
• For the Whipped Cream:
• Whisk the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and icing sugar to firm peaks.

To Assemble:

• Cut the cooled cake horizontally into three layers.
• Place the base layer on a cake card and brush with kirsch syrup using a pastry brush.
• Spread a 0.5cm layer of whipped cream over the base.
• Pipe a border of whipped cream around the edge of the cake using a piping bag fitted with a 2.5cm plain nozzle.
• Fill the center with half of the thickened cherries.
• Place the second layer of sponge on top and repeat the process.
• Top with the final layer of sponge and gently press to level the cake.
• Mask the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream and refrigerate to firm.

To Decorate:

• Pour tempered or melted chocolate onto a marble slab and spread it thinly with a palette knife.
• Once set, use a large chopping knife to create chocolate curls by pushing the knife at a 45-degree angle across the chocolate.
• Decorate the sides of the cake with smaller chocolate flakes.
• Pile the chocolate curls in the center of the cake.
• Dust with icing sugar and finish with griottine cherries.