Step 1: Prepare the Cake

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth and well combined.
4. Add Boiling Water: Gradually stir in the boiling water. The batter will be thin, but that’s perfectly normal!
5. Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Cool: Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 2: Assemble the Cake

7. Layer the Cake: Once the cakes have cooled, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of cherry pie filling over the top.
8. Add the Second Layer: Place the second cake layer on top of the cherry-filled layer.
9. Frost the Cake: Cover the entire cake generously with whipped cream, frosting both the top and sides.
10. Decorate: Garnish with chocolate shavings and additional cherry pie filling for a beautiful finish.