Lightly grease three 7-inch (18-cm) layer cake pans.
Preheat oven to 350°F.(175°C).
To make cake, melt chocolate in a double boiler over low heat; cool.
Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, almonds and chocolate.
Sift flour and baking powder onto creamed mixture; fold in thoroughly.
Spread batter evenly in greased layer cake pans.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean.
Cool in pans a few minutes then turn out cakes onto racks to cool completely.
To make filling and topping, whip cream until stiff.
Dry canned cherries on paper towels.
Sprinkle each cake layer with a third of the kirsch.
Spread 2 layers with whipped cream, reserving about half.
Arrange canned cherries in cream.
Place layers on top of each other; cover with third layer.
Spread top and sides of cake with two-thirds of remaining whipped cream.
Put the rest in a pastry bag fitted with a fluted nozzle.
Pipe rosettes of cream onto cake.
Decorate with candied cherries.
Pile chocolate curls in the center; sprinkle some broken pieces onto sides.