Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 4" x 2" round cake pan with non-stick baking spray.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a small cup, whisk together water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until blended.

Bake 18 - 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Maraschino Cherry Filling

In a small saucepan mix sugar and corn starch until it's well blended.

Add cherry liquid and stir to dissolve sugar and cornstarch. Stir in cherries.

Cook over medium high heat until mixture comes to a boil and thickens to the consistency of pie filling. Remove from heat and cool completely before using.

Chocolate Ganache

Place chocolate in a glass bowl. Heat heavy cream over medium high heat just until it comes to a boil.

Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate; let rest two minutes, then stir until chocolate is completely melted. Cool until ganache is thickened and has a spreadable consistency.

Assembling cake

Cut the cake in half horizontally and spread the maraschino filling on the bottom half, carefully stack the top half on top of the filling. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate ganache. Decorate top with grated chocolate and a maraschino cherry, optional.