Preheat the oven to 170ºC. Grease and flour the tins.
Either in a stand mixer or by hand in a bowl, beat the butter until pale and fluffy, then mix in the flour, cocoa powder, caster sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla extract. Pour half into the butter mixture, beat, then add the other half. Tip half into each tin. Smooth the tops.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the sponges spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. Turn out, and leave to cool.
Skewer the cakes all over and pour in the kirsch.
Whip the cream to soft peaks.
Spread 1/3rd of the whipped cream onto the first cake, leaving a border all round.
Add half the drained black cherries and top with the second sponge layer. Spread the rest of the cream all over the top. Top with the rest of the black cherries, then add the fresh cherries in a pyramid shape on top. Dust with icing sugar.