Begin by preparing two 9-inch or 9 ½-inch cake pans. Rub butter on the inner bottom and sides of each pan. Cut a circle of waxed paper (or parchment paper) to fit the inner bottom. Rub butter over the circle of waxed or parchment paper. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together ½ cup softened butter and 2 cups sugar, using medium speed of an electric mixer. Add 3 well-beaten eggs and beat until mixture is well-combined. Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1 cup milk. Add ¾ cup cocoa powder and 2 ¼ cups self-rising flour. Stir until dry ingredients are reasonably well combined. Now, beat the batter for 3 minutes on medium speed of an electric mixer. Divide the batter into two equal parts and pour each half into one of the prepared cake pans. Place pans on a center rack of oven. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for about 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to use the toothpick test often, in order for the cake layers to be removed immediately when they are done. Let the cake layers cool in their cake pans for 10 minutes. Then cool completely on wire rack. When cake layers are cool, slice each horizontally to get 4 thinner layers. Use three of these to assemble cake and put the fourth in a food processor and process a few seconds to get chocolate cake crumbs. Open (2) 21-ounce cans of cherry pie filling, empty into a medium-sized bowl, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat 3 cups whipping cream until slightly stiff. Add ¼ cup confectioner's sugar and continue to beat until stiff. (Do not overbeat.) Now, place one layer of chocolate cake on a cake plate or cake stand. Ice the top with about 1 cup of the sweetened whipped cream. Place about ¾ cup cherry pie filling over the sweetened whipped cream. Repeat with another cake layer, whipped cream, and cherry pie filling. Place the last cake layer on top. Next, spread sweetened whipped cream around the sides of the cake and over the whole top of the cake. Pat chocolate cake crumbs around the side for decoration. Place the remaining cherry pie filling over the top and let it drizzle down the side in a few spots. I place 4 skewers into the cake to make sure it doesn't slip and then refrigerate overnight. This is a spectacular display for your holiday table! I hope you love it! Happy Holidays! --Betty