Method

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20cm springform cake pan with baking paper.
• 2.
  To make the sponge, sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl or stand mixer, whisk eggs and 120g caster sugar for 7-8 minutes on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the melted butter and fold into the eggs, followed by the sifted flour mixture. Pour into the cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
• 3.
  Pit cherries (reserving 8 whole cherries with stems for the garnish). Combine remaining 100g caster sugar with 100ml water in a pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the cherries and cook for 10 minutes or until softened, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Place in the fridge to chill.
• 4.
  Meanwhile, for the chocolate bowls, blow up the balloons until roughly 10cm in diameter, then tie them. Fill a small saucepan one-third with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Place chocolate and oil in a small heatproof bowl set over pan and stir until chocolate has melted (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Set aside for 10-15 minutes to thicken; you want it to be the consistency of thick cream.
• 5.
  Cover a tray with some lightly oiled plastic wrap, then dip a balloon into the chocolate and place on the tray. Place into the fridge to set. You may need to do this in batches, depending on how many balloons your fridge can hold. Once the first layer of chocolate has set, repeat with a second layer. (You may need to gently reheat the chocolate.) Return to the fridge. Once set, remove the balloons. Snip across the top to let the air out, then gently pull the balloon away to reveal the bowl. Store the bowls in the fridge until needed.
• 6.
  Cut the cake into small pieces and divide among bowls. Top with cherries and drizzle over some syrup. Whisk the cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks, then place in a piping bag fitted with a 2cm star nozzle. Pipe a swirl of cream over each bowl, then top with chocolate shavings, if using, and a reserved cherry to serve.