Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by greasing them and lining with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the neutral oil and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.

Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, stirring gently until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes.

While the cakes cool, make the cherry jam by combining pitted cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 15–20 minutes until thickened.

For the frosting, beat room temperature butter until fluffy, then add cream cheese and mix until smooth. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Gently fold in the cooled cherry jam.

Level the tops of your cooled cake layers, place one layer on a serving plate, frost the top, then add another layer and crumb coat the entire cake before chilling and fully frosting.