Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Line the base of two 8" cake tins with a circle of parchment paper and spray the sides with oil spray.

Add the plain flour, soft brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt to a large mixing bowl, whisk and set aside.

To make the vegan 'buttermilk' add the soy milk and apple cider vinegar to a jug, stir and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Add the vegan buttermilk mixture, sunflower oil, vanilla extract, and hot coffee to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk carefully to combine. Do not overmix the batter.

Divide the batter into the lined cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. Check they are ready by inserting a skewer, it should come out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 15-20 minutes and then carefully turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool further.

Refrigerate the cakes in an airtight container until ready to use. Chilling the cakes for a few hours (or overnight) makes them easier to work with and decorate.

Defrost the cherries and reserve the liquid juice if using.

Add 50ml of the cherry juice to a saucepan with cornstarch and sugar and whisk until evenly mixed.

Add in the remaining cherry juice and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove the cherry mixture from the heat and stir in the Kirschwasser. Allow the mixture to cool slightly for 10 minutes, then stir in the cherries.

Make a batch of vegan whipped cream.

To make the chocolate curls, melt the chocolate and pour it into a small plastic container lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 20-30 minutes, then remove the block of chocolate from the container and use a potato peeler to create chocolate curls.

Using a serrated knife, carefully cut the domes from the tops of the cakes if there are any to get them as even as possible.

Place a tiny amount of whipped cream on a cake turntable and secure the first sponge layer on top of it.

Using a pastry brush, coat the first cake layer with some syrup from the cherry filling. Spread a layer of the vegan whipped cream, followed by a layer of cherry filling.

Place the second cake layer on top and coat with more syrup and vegan whipped cream followed by chocolate curls and some fresh cherries if desired.

Refrigerate the cake in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. It is best served on the same day it's made.