Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, rub the granulated sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until the sugar feels moist and fragrant. This helps release the lemon oils for stronger flavor.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the butter and oil together on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Add the lemon sugar and beat on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is pearly white and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.

Add the eggs and egg white one at a time on medium speed, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.

Mix in the vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, and buttermilk until combined. The batter may look slightly curdled at this stage- that’s normal and will smooth out once the dry ingredients are added.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix on low speed just until no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the centers spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn them out onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment and allow the layers to cool completely before assembling.

Heat the heavy cream in a separate bowl until steaming and just beginning to simmer around the edges, about 1-2 minutes in the microwave (or you can heat in a saucepan over the stove). Do not boil.

Pour the cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute so the chocolate begins to melt, then stir from the center outward until smooth.

Blend with an immersion blender until completely silky. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until thickened.

Once the ganache reaches a peanut butter-like consistency, whip with a hand mixer on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Lightly brush the top with cherry juice. Transfer the whipped ganache to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe dollops evenly over the surface.

Place the second cake layer on top and brush with more cherry juice. Pipe the remaining ganache over the top layer and garnish with fresh cherries and lemon zest before slicing and serving.