Russian "Pile of Logs" Cake

When I was small I tried this cake at our friend's birthday party, it seemed so magical to me, I really loved it! But since then I do not remember that I ever ate it again, though it is one of classical/popular Russian cakes - like cookie horns filled with cherries and layered with whipped cream.  So, years after, I just wanted my kids to try it too and made it based on several recipes from internet. Of course, kids nowadays are really spoiled with all kind of sweets available, not like back then (and back then in USSR especially:)) But it was a nice experience to make it and kids loved it's unusual for a cake shape.

Enjoy it too, if you like!
4 cups flour
250ml Greek yoghurt
10g baking powder
1 1/4 cup butter
100-200g sugar (to taste)
0,5 t.s. salt
600g (frozen) pitted cherries
sugar to taste
rum essence or real rum
Mix sifted flour, baking powder, salt. Add butter, cut into chunks, yoghurt (or sour cream) and sugar. Create a ball and chill it in the fridge for an hour (cover with plastic wrap).

Preheat oven to 180C.
Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Dust working surface with flour. Roll each part into a 20x25cm rectangle and cut it into 5 equal stripes. Lay frozen or defrosted cherries in a line on each stripe. Now pinch the sides of the stripes. Try not to leave any holes.
Bake these cherry cookies on a baking tray covered with baking paper for about 20-25 minutes, until golden. Let them cool.

600ml whipping cream
vanilla and rum essence to taste
up to a 200g powdered sugar (as sweet as you prefer)
160-180g dark chocolate, melted with 1 tb.s. oil
Whip cold cream with powdered sugar and flavourings until picks can be formed. Now choose a plate for serving the cake. Place 5 "logs" on a plate, spread cream over them, place 4 "logs" on top of those, spread the cream, then 3-2-1 log in the end. Frost the entire cake with whipped cream. Let the cake stand in fridge for several hours (overnight is convenient).
Melt the chocolate, take the cake out of the fridge and pour the chocolate over the cake. Let it sit in the fridge until the chocolate is set. Now take the cake out of the fridge and let it sit for 10-15 minutes in room temperature. Heat a sharp knife and chop uneven ends of the cake from both sides. Now it can be served! It's even better the next day.