1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
      1 can cherry pie filling
   1 ½ pints whipping cream, whipped with powdered sugar and vanilla to taste.
      6 maraschino cherries
         chocolate sprinkles
         Brandy or Rum (if desired)

Bake cake according to package instructions, 8” round pans are the best.  Cool and with a large sharp knife, split each round to make two.  You will have four rounds now.  Sprinkle each round with Brandy or Rum.  I found a nice cake splitter at the super market.

Place first round on cake plate top down, cover with ½ of cherry pie filling.  Place next round on top, bottom up.  Ice with ½” of whipped cream.  Place next round on top, bottom down.  Add remainder of cherry pie filling and place final round on top, top up.

Ice top and sides of cake with whipped cream, saving enough to decorate top with 9 stars.  Top the center star with ½ cherry and the other stars with ¼ cherry.  Sprinkle with chocolate and store in refrigerator.  If you want to take it to a picnic, use cool whip in place of whipped cream.