Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking powder, and eggs until smooth. Gradually mix in brewed coffee and vanilla extract. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25–30 minutes. Let cool.

While the cake layers cool, prepare the vanilla cherries. In a medium bowl, combine pitted cherries with vanilla extract. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.

In a separate mixing bowl, whip together mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy, about 3–5 minutes.

Once the cake layers are cool, slice each layer in half horizontally. Place one layer on a plate and spread a layer of mascarpone filling followed by a layer of vanilla cherries. Repeat with remaining layers.

For ganache, heat heavy cream until simmering, then remove from heat and add dark chocolate, stirring until smooth. Pour ganache over the assembled cake.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving.