Portal Cake

• 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup kirsch cherry liqueur
• 1/4 cup kirsch
• 2 cans sour cherries
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 chocolate bar semisweet
• 8 maraschino cherries At least, no stems

1. Preheat your oven to 350u0b0F.
2. Grease and flour two 8 inch cakepans, or line with parchment paper.
3. Sift together the flour, the cocoa, the baking soda and the salt.
4. This aside.
5. Beat the shortening and sugar together until they are fluffy.
6. Add the eggs and beat thoroughly.
7. Add vanilla.
8. Slowly beat in the flour mixture, occasionally alternating with the buttermilk.
9. Beat until combined.
10. Pour the batter into the cakepans.
11. Bake for about 35 or 40 minutes (or until a a fork or a wooden pick comes out clean when inserted into the cake.
12. Let the cake cool completely. The cake will be easier to cut if you keep it in the fridge for a few hours before cutting.
13. After the cake has cooled, cut each layer in half (horizontally) to make four total layers.
14. Sprinkle the layers with the 1/2 cup of Kirsch.
15. Drain the canned cherries in a colander to remove most of the juice.
16. Beat the whipping cream with confectioners' sugar until it thickens to desired texture.
17. Put a small amount of the cream/sugar mixture aside for garnish.
18. Mix the cocoa powder into the remaining majority of the whipped cream frosting.
19. Place one cake layer on the serving dish you wish to use.
20. Spread about one 6th of the whipped cream on the layer, and strew a third of the cherries on top of the whipped cream.
21. Add the second cake layer on top of the first.
22. Spread one 6th of the whipped cream on the second layer and 1/3 of the cherries on top.
23. Add the third cake layer.
24. Spread 1/6 of the whipped cream on that and add the remaining cherries.
25. Top with the last cake layer.
26. Frost the top and sides of the cake with remaining frosting. Use a potato peeler on the chocolate to create thin shaves.
27. Gently pat the chocolate shaves on to the sides and top of the cake, completely coating it.
28. Use the whipped cream you set aside earlier to place eight small circles around the top of the cake.
29. Place your non-stemmed maraschino cherries on each one.
30. Place white candle in the center and light. Congratulations, you have made the cake a reality!

flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, vegetable shortening, eggs, vanilla, liqueur, sour cherries, heavy whipping cream, confectioners sugar, cocoa, chocolate, maraschino cherries at

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Portal-Cake-1667779 (may not work)