Ingredients: 
• 500ml (2 cups) flour 
• 375ml (1½ cups) White Sugar 
• 20ml (4 tsp) baking powder 
• 60ml (4 Tbsp) cocoa 
• 1ml salt 
• 4 eggs, separated 
• 275ml oil 
• 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence 
• 275ml boiling water 
• Black forest cherry filling (Victoria supermarket)
• 250ml Fresh cream
• vermicelli

Method: 
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease and line two 20cm cake tins with wax paper. 
2. Sift dry ingredients together. Separate eggs and beat together egg yolks, oil and vanilla essence. Add to dry ingredients with boiling water. Mix well. 
3. Beat egg whites until stiff with an electric beater and fold into mixture. 
4. Pour batter into prepared tins and bake for 25 – 30 minutes. 
5. Once cool, carefully cut each cake horizontally through the centre using string or nylon line
6. Optional: Drizzle each layer with a little black forest filling to moisten. 
7. Whip cream until stiff. Drain liquid from cherries. 
7. Spread each cake layer with whipped cream and black forest cherry filling 
8. Finally top with the remaining cream, cherries and decorate with dark chocolate shavings.

Credit: Slungile Maka Bhoyo Mbatha