1. This trifle requires quite a large serving dish. The one I use holds about 16 cups.
2. Bake the cake as instructed and let it cool on a wire rack before cutting it into cubes.

To prepare the Cherry Compote

1. Make the cherry filling while the cake is in the oven because it too will have to cool to room temperature.
2. In a small saucepan, add the cherries, 2/3 cup water, sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Dissolve the cornstarch in the ¼ cup of water and slowly stir into the boiling cherries. Stir constantly until the cherries begin to simmer again, then cook for only a minute longer.
5. Remove from heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. It is not recommended to cool this mixture quickly in the fridge because you can set the corn starch.
6. You can reserve about a 1/2 cup of the cherry compote to garnish the top of the trifle as pictured if you like.

To prepare the Vanilla Cheesecake Filling

1. Remove 3 rounded tbsp of the icing sugar from the 1 cup you have measured. Add the 3 tbsp icing sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer along with the vanilla extract and whipping cream. Beat together to firm peaks, then transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl.
2. Now add the remaining powdered sugar and the cream cheese to the electric mixer bowl and cream together well until smooth and the cream cheese is well softened.
3. Add about ½ cup of the whipped cream to the softened cream cheese mixture and beat again until smooth. (This step helps soften the cream cheese mixture a little more for the next step)
4. Finally fold in the remaining whipped cream by hand until smooth, using a rubber or silicone spatula.

To prepare the Vanilla Whipped Cream (for the top layer/garnish)

1. Beat the cream, icing sugar and vanilla together to firm peaks.

To prepare the Chocolate Ganache Sauce

1. Scald ½ cup cream and add 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.
2. Stir over low heat only until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

To assemble the trifle

1. Chop the cake into cubes and layer ⅓ of them into the bottom of your trifle bowl. Drizzle with an ounce of the rum or kirsh and about 1/3 of the chocolate sauce.
2. Add half the vanilla cheesecake filling in the next layer. Then about half the cherry compote.
3. Begin to layer again with another ⅓ of the cake cubes, rum, chocolate sauce, , then the remaining half of the cheesecake filling, the cherry compote and finally the remaining cake cubes and a final sprinkle of rum or Kirsh.
4. Top with Vanilla Whipped Cream, any reserved cherry compote and drizzle with the remaining Chocolate Ganache Sauce.