Melt 300 g dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water together with 160 g unsalted butter and 160 g sugar.
Do not let the bowl touch the water or your chocolate will burn and that’s not welcome in a chocolate cake.
Mix until the sugar is dissolved then remove from the simmering water and set aside to cool down a bit.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites of 5 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell).
When chocolate mixture has cooled down a bit, mix a few spoons into the egg yolks, one at a time to temper and prevent the yolks from scrambling. Then mix all the yolks into the chocolate mixture, followed by 70 g all-purpose flour (plain flour), a little at the time to avoid lumps. Set aside.
Add ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the egg whites and beat them to stiff peaks, then incorporate them into the chocolate mixture in 3 parts. Fold them in gently, this affects the texture of the cake.
Pour the batter into lightly buttered form and bake for 30–35 minutes.
When the cake is done, set aside to cool down.
To Make the Dark Chocolate Ganache
Bring 300 ml heavy (whipping) cream to a boil and pour over 400 g chocolate chips. Leave to soften for a few minutes, then either using a whisk or a hand blender, mix till smooth. Set aside to cool down for 10–30 minutes.
To Assemble the Cake
Before assembling, make sure your cake is completely cold. Very important! It will allow the ganache to set quicker.
Cut the cake in half. Place the bottom layer on the cake stand and pour half of the ganache to the centre of the cake. Then using a knife or spatula gently spread the ganache equally to the sides, but stop about 0.5 cm to the sides, place some maraschino cherries on the ganache (to your liking). Then place the top layer of the cake and top it with the remaining ganache. Sprinkle some white chocolate shavings and some extra cherries!
Notes
The photo contains a mini version of this cake, the recipe will yield a much bigger one.
If you are feeling exceptionally naughty then add a little scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (or both) on the side… This will elevate the cake to yet another dimension!