Preheat your oven to 180 C or 350 F. Grease and flour a 6 inch round pan well. Line the bottom with parchment.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Keep aside.

In a saucepan, bring to a boil the milk and butter. Switch off the heat but make sure the mixture remains hot.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer or whisk until light and fluffy. The volume should become about three times and if you lift the beater, a ribbon of batter should stay on the surface for a few seconds before disappearing.

Once this is achieved, whisk in the flour mixture just until you can't see flour anymore.

Whisk in the milk and butter mixture until smooth.

Immediately pour into pan, tap the pan and bake at 180 C or 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes.

The sides of the cake will be coming away from the pan and if you press the top of the cake, it will spring back. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out dry.

Cool in pan for five minutes, unmould and cool completely on a wire rack.

Chop the cherries in half and remove the pits.

In a thick bottomed saucepan, heat the pitted and chopped cherries with the sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 cup water until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Stir occasionally.

Dissolve the corn flour in the remaining 1/4 cup water.

Add to the bubbling mixture and stir.

Continue simmering on low temperature, stirring occasionally until it becomes thick and glossy.

When required thickness is achieved , take off heat and let cool completely.

If using cherries, puree 8 to 10 cherries. Add enough water to make it about 1 cup of liquid.

If using canned cherries, use 1/2 cup of the drained liquid and add 1/2 cup of water.

In a thick bottomed saucepan, heat the prepared cherry solution along with the sugar.

Once the sugar dissolves, bring to boil.

Lower the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes until thick.

Take off heat, add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Let cool completely.

Keep the bowl with the cream, sugar and vanilla extract along with your whisk or beater in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Remove and beat until soft peaks are formed.

Chill until needed or use immediately

Grate or shave off using a sharp knife / vegetable peeler white chocolate onto a parchment paper. Refrigerate until using .

Fill about 1/3 cup of the whipped cream into a piping bag. Snip of the end or use a big round tip.

Slice the cooled cake horizontally into three layers using a serrated knife.

Place one of the layers on a cake plate or board

Using a pastry brush or spoon, brush the top and sides of the layer with cherry syrup until moist to touch.

Spread about 3 tablespoons whipped cream over the layer, pipe a ring is whipped cream along the edge. This makes sure the compote wont come onto your external frosting.

Spread 1/4 cup compote inside this whipped cream dam.

Place second cake layer on top and press gently.Soak this layer, spread whipped cream, pipe a cream ring and spread 1/4 cup compote in the same way.

Place last layer on top and press gently.Soak with the remaining syrup.

Spread whipped cream on top and the sides of the cake as smoothly as possible. This is the crumb coat.

Chill the cake for 10 - 15 minutes.

If you want , cover with another layer of whipped cream . Press the chocolate shavings onto the sides and top of the cake and shake off excess.

Chill for 8 hours atleast.