1. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine syrup and Redpath® Granulated Sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in Kirsch (if using) and almond extract. Set aside to cool.

1. Place bowl of stand mixer and whisk attachment into freezer to chill.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, pour in cold water and sprinkle gelatin over surface of water. Let gelatin bloom, about 5 minutes. Place saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until gelatin dissolves, about 10 seconds. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Place 3 cups (720 ml) of heavy cream, Redpath® Icing Sugar, and vanilla into chilled bowl. Whip on medium speed until thickened, about 2 minutes. Temper warm gelatin with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of room temperature heavy cream, stirring to combine. In a steady stream, pour gelatin mixture into the heavy cream while continuously whisking on medium speed. Once all gelatin is poured in, increase speed to medium-high and whisk until stiff peaks form.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8×2-inch( 20 x 5 cm) cake rounds, line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper rounds and flour pans. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, measure out cake flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Sift dry ingredients onto a piece of parchment, set aside.

3. In a small saucepan or a microwaveable bowl, melt butter. Set aside to slightly cool. Add extracts to cooled butter. Stir to combine.

4. Meanwhile in bowl of stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs until frothy. Add Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar. Combine eggs and sugar on medium-high speed, for at least 5 minutes, until mixture thickens, doubles in volume, and becomes pale in colour.

5. Add one third of dry ingredients into the egg foam. With a spatula or a whisk, fold in dry ingredients. When almost completely folded in, add another third of the flour mixture. Repeat process with the remainder of the flour mixture, fold until no dry lumps remain. Gradually drizzle butter into the batter while continuously folding it in.

6. Evenly divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cakes spring back when gently pressed.

7. Cool cakes in pan, about 10 minutes. Run a thin knife or small offset spatula around the edges to loosen cakes. Invert cakes, place right side up on a cooling rack to cool completely before using. While cakes are cooling, make cherry simple syrup and stabilized whipped cream.

8. Once cake are cooled, with a sharp serrated knife, slice off the rounded tops of the genoise. With a steady hand, slice genoise in half, creating four layers. Spoon half of the stabilized whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Place one layer onto a plate or turntable. With a pastry brush, generously brush the layer with the cherry simple syrup.

9. Starting from the centre, pipe concentric circles on genoise layer. Smooth cream with an offset spatula. To prevent cherries from seeping out from the edge of the cake, pipe another ring on top of the last ring piped. Sprinkle cherries onto single layer of whipped cream.

10. Place and gently press down the 2nd layer of genoise on top of finished layer. Repeat process with the next 2 layers.

11. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream onto the top and sides of the cake, this is the crumb coat. Place into fridge to set up, about 15 minutes. Evenly spread the remaining whipped cream onto the tops and sides of the cake, reserve some whipped cream to decorate the top.

12.  Decorate the middle of the cake with rings of drained cherries. Pipe dots or rosettes along the edge. With a vegetable peeler shave the dark chocolate. Sprinkle desired amount of shaved chocolate in between the cherries and piped dots or rosettes. Set in fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably several hours, before serving to allow flavours to meld and for the whipped cream to set up.