Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F oven. Line the bottom of the 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray the sides with non stick spray. Set aside.

Measure out all of the ingredients needed for the recipe.

Chocolate mixture: In a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt 1 pound chocolate and 1/2 cup butter until melted.. Then, stir in the vanilla and the espresso powder until it's all smooth.

Whip eggwhites: Meanwhile, in a bowl of a mixer fitted with whisk attachment whip 8 egg whites until stiff peaks (~ 2 min). Do not overwhip or the eggwhites will look chunky. This will make the chocolate cake drier. Transfer egg whites to a large mixing bowl.

Whip egg yolks: To the same mixer bowl add 8 egg yolks and whip them for 30 seconds on high with a whisk attachment. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar and continue whipping until pale in color and the mixture flows in a ribbon when the whisk is raise (~15 min).

Combine the chocolate and the egg yolk mixture in 2 additions, carefully folding it in after each. Now, add egg white mixture in halves and carefully fold it in until no streaks of egg whites are seen.

Bake: Pour the batter into a prepared 9 inch springform pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with only several crumbs (~35-45 minutes).

Remove from the baking pan: Once baked, losen up the cake from the cake pan by running a thin knife around the edges of the cake, then removing the cake ring. Allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, drain cherries and measure out 1 cup cherries. Add 3 tablespoons of Grand Marnier and stir to coat the cherries, leave to soak in the alcohol, stirring occasionally. This step can be done several days ahead to better soak the cherries.

In a bowl of a mixer, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar & 1 tbsp vanilla extract. Whip on medium speed until stiff peaks.. Reserve about 1/2 cup of whipped cream for piping.

Drain the cherries from the Grand Marnier. Drizzle the liquid all over the cake. Cover the cake with whipped cream. Sprinkle cherries over the top. .

Fit a pastry bag with a decorative tip. Fill the bag with the rest of whip cream. Pipe decor on top of the cake to your liking.

Using a vegetable peeler shave the side of a chocolate bar right over the cake. If the chocolate breaks as it's being shaven, place it in the microvave for a couple seconds at a time, then try again. Keep popping it in the microwave until you're able to get uniform curls. Do not melt.

Refrigerate the cake until ready to eat. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.