I think this post is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a great cake! It look also looks impressive. I’ve experimented with different recipes and techniques. I find that making this cake in 3 layers (not 4) works better. The choice of cherries is also important. Otherwise, it’s a very simple devil’s food cake type cake that’s not too complicated to make. Hope you give it a try.
Black Forest Cake
Ingredients
- For the cake:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1 TBSP vanilla
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 cup hot black coffee (decaf or hot water will work)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
- Cherry Syrup:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup Kirsch Cherry Liqueur
- For Whipped Cream Frosting:
4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBSP Kirsch cherry liqueur, optional
pinch of salt
- For Assembly:
2 cups pitted fresh cherries (drained cherry pie filling cherries are an acceptable substitution, but do not use sour cherries)
dark chocolate shavings (about 1 cup)
fresh cherries or Maraschino cherries for garnish
- For Optional Chocolate Ganache:
1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate (200g)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease 3 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Then line with parchment paper on the bottom.
- Combine sugar, salt and oil and beat with a whisk. Sift in cocoa powder and whisk to combine. Whisk in vanilla extract, followed by eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add buttermilk and whisk until combined.
- Add coffee to your batter, VERY SLOWLY AND WHILE WHISKING THE BATTER, so that you don't scramble your eggs.
- Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl. Sift the flour mixture into your batter and whisk for a minute or two or so to aerate it. You can mix it on medium, if using stand mixer. The batter will be thin.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Place the cake pans on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The cakes will start to pull away from the sides of the pans and the center will spring back when gently pressed.
- Let the cakes cook for about 10 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge of the cake and turn out the cakes onto the wire racks to cool completely. You may need to use a serrated knife to level the cakes.
- For the Cherry Syrup:
- Place sugar and water into a small pan over medium-high heat. Stir the mixture and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in the cherry liqueur (or cherry juice if substituting) and allow this cherry syrup to cool completely.
- For the Whipped Cream:
- Add heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and Kirsch and a pinch of salt. Start on low speed, slowly increasing it to medium and beat until medium peaks form.
- To Assemble the Cake:
- Place one layer on a cake stand or a serving platter. Brush generously with the cherry syrup. Top with about a cup of whipping cream, spreading it in an even layer. top with half of the cherries, gently pressing them into the whipped cream. Repeat the process with the next layer (top layer is handled separately.)
- If you like to make optional chocolate ganache, chop chocolate really well and pour heated heavy cream on top. Let it sit for a minute and stir until the chocolate has melted. If not fully melted, you can make a double boiler and set this heat proof bowl over gently simmering water, stirring until melted. This ganache could be poured over the top of the cake if desired, after you frosted it with whipping cream. Then once the ganache is set, go ahead and pipe whipped cream rosettes on top.
- Add the top layer of the cake. Frost the cake - the top and the sides with whipping cream. Pipe some rosettes with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish with fresh cherries or maraschino cherries. Add chocolate shavings to the sides of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set before cutting the cake. Enjoy!
