Piana Vyshnia Cake (Drunken Cherry Cake)

How to Make Cherry Syrup:

1. Cut each cherry in half and remove the pits.
2. Place the cherries in a small pot.
3. Add the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 
4. Reduce the heat to low and let the cherries simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from the heat and cool completely. 
6. Add horilka and let the cherries soak for a few hours. Squeeze the cherries gently before using them to release excess alcohol and liquid. 

How to Make Chocolate Sponge:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ºF/ 175° C. Sift the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda into a small bowl. 
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar on high speed (approx. 5 minutes).
3. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients in two parts, stirring thoroughly and carefully not to deflate the air bubbles.
4. Bake the sponge (approx. 25 minutes). 
5. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
6. Slice the sponge in half. Remove the middle of the cake in chunks, leaving an outer sponger layer intact.
7. Set the sponge pieces aside for now.

How to Make the Cream:

1. To prepare the cream, beat the butter with a mixer for about 5 minutes, making sure to stop and scrape it off the sides of the bowl every once in a while.
2. Add the dulce de leche gradually, in 3 batches, whisking in between, until homogenous. Finally, fold in the sour cream and vanilla until well-mixed and creamy.
3. Reserve ⅓ of the cream and place it in a separate bowl.
4. Strain the cherry syrup we prepared before and set aside for now.
5. Add the sponge pieces to the remaining 2/3 of the cream and mix them until combined. Make sure the sponge pieces are not mashed. 
6. Add the strained cherries and mix with the cream and sponge. Do not over mix, keeping the sponge pieces and cherries large.

How to Assemble the Cake:

1. Soak the top and bottom cake crusts with the reserved strained cherry syrup.
2. Place the bottom of the sponge cake on a cake platter. Pack all of the cream/sponge/cherry filling and cover with the top crust of the cake sponge. 
3. Ice the top and sides of the cake with the reserved cream.
4. Decorate the cake with the one-pound pile of fresh cherries. 
5. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with chocolate shavings. Use a potato peeler or grater.
6. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
7. Serve and enjoy!