Start by rinsing and pitting your cherries. Roughly chop them and place in a bowl with the golden rum. Let the cherries soak for about an hour at room temperature. Once they’ve absorbed the rum, drain the cherries through a sieve, saving both the syrup and the cherries for later use.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare two 8-inch cake pans by buttering and lightly dusting them with flour, then set them aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is fluffy and pale. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, then beat on high speed for about 7 minutes, or until light and airy. Slowly incorporate the warm milk, ensuring the batter is smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt. Gradually fold this dry mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until everything is well combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool slightly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and continue to whip until the mixture becomes fluffy and light in texture (about 2 minutes).

Add the cream cheese one piece at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition. Continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Gradually add 4 tablespoons of the reserved cherry syrup, one tablespoon at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated. Once done, refrigerate the frosting until you're ready to use it.

Once your cake layers have cooled, carefully slice each layer horizontally in half to create four thin layers in total.

Prepare a syrup by mixing the remaining cherry rum syrup with 1/4 cup of cold filtered water. Place the first cake layer, cut side up, on your serving plate or cake stand. Generously brush the surface with the cherry syrup mixture, then spread a layer of frosting over the top. Sprinkle one-third of the soaked cherries over the frosting. Repeat this process with the next two layers.

For the final layer, place it on top but do not brush with syrup or add cherries. Instead, refrigerate the cake for about 15-20 minutes to allow the layers to set.

After chilling, apply a generous layer of frosting over the entire cake, covering both the top and the sides. Decorate the cake with shaved chocolate and fresh cherries to your liking before serving.