Chocolate Cherry Cake

From Taste of Home

Cake:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

3 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp baking cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk [which I never buy...just use 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice and the rest milk.]

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Filling:

2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup heaving whipping cream

[the original called for 1/4 tsp almond extract, which I didn't use.]

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternatively with buttermilk. Beat in water and oil until smooth.

Pour into two greased and floured 9 inch baking pans [the original recipe did this in hearts for Valentine's Day...I just did this in circles]. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. [I just used Pam, but mine came out messily, so I'll actually grease and flour next time to see if that helps.]

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Beat in cream. Place one cake on plate and then spread with half of cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set it up. Then top with 1 cup pie filling and second cake. Spread rest of cream cheese mixture on the cake. Make an indentation in the center of the cake to hold the rest of the cherries. Refrigerate until serving.

Serves 12.