Black Forest Cake Recipe | How To Make Perfect Black Forest Cake
Today I’m going to share a delicious recipe for homemade Black Forest Cake! This recipe consists of three decadent chocolate cake layers brushed with Kirsch and filled with a luscious cherry filling and whipped cream frosting.
Any occasion will feel more special with this elegant dessert, thanks to its flavorful pairing of rich chocolate and cherries, as well as its impressive height and presentation.
Although it’s packed with flavor, Black Forest Cake isn’t overly sweet, and it’s boozy Kirsch(wasser) flavored cherry filling places it into the category of a more sophisticated adult cake- don’t serve it up to the kids unless you make an adjustment or two :0).
There are tons of variations of Black Forest Cake floating around, but this is the version that we love best- we hope that you love it too!
Ingredients For Making Black Forest Cake
Chocolate Cake:
1¾ cups (250 gm) all-purpose flour, sifted
⅔ cup (65 gm) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
1 cup (240 ml) hot water
Cherries and Cherry Syrup:
1 cup drained, canned cherries
¼ cup Kirsch, or another cherry liqueur
cherry juice from canned cherries (drain cherries and reserve the juice)
Whipped Cream Frosting:
3 cups heavy cream, cold
½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
Optional Decorations:
200 g. chocolate shavings
Fresh whole cherries
Instructions For Making Black Forest Cake
1.To make the chocolate cake: Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Generously butter two 8-inch cake tin that are at least 2-inches high, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping the ramekins slightly to remove any excess.
2.In a large bowl, place flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Mix until combined. Set aside.
3.In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, oil, vanilla, buttermilk, and water (pour the water slowly so it won’t cook the eggs). Whisk until smooth. Add egg mixture into flour mixture and mix until smooth. Don’t overbeat – batter will be lumpy at first, but mix gently and eventually stir with a whisk just until smooth. The batter will be thin and liquid. That's ok.
4.Scrape batter into prepared tin. Bake cakes for 30-35 minutes (depending on your oven - this might take longer), or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before unmolding, then let cakes cool completely on a wire rack. I recommend wrapping the cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze them for several hours before cutting them. Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
5.To make the syrup: place drained cherries in a medium bowl, and add to the bowl ¼ cup Kirsch and ½ cup cherry juice from can. Leave to soak at room temperature for 30 minutes or more, then drain cherries in a sieve over a bowl, keeping both the cherries and syrup. Add more cherry juice to the syrup to get 3/4 cup syrup (you won't need the rest of the juice, discard it or save for another use). This will be the soaking syrup for the cake layers.
6.To make the whipped cream: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Read more about making perfect whipped cream here.
7.Assembly: Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate and brush with 1/3 of the cherry syrup. Cover top with a thick layer of whipped cream frosting (about 1 cup) and top with 1/3 of the cherries. Repeat twice more with remaining layers and top with the last cake layer (there’s no need to soak the top layer with syrup). Frost the top and sides of the cake with whipped cream. If you want, reserve some of the whipped cream, about 1½ cups, for decorating the top. Use a pastry bag with a large flower tip, and pipe rounds around the top. Top with whole cherries. Cover the sides and top with chocolate shavings, if desired. Store cake in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days.
TIPS FOR THIS BLACK FOREST CAKE:
1.You can leave the cherry liqueur out (though it is traditional) or use a non-alcoholic version
2.You can use Maraschino cherry or use cherry pie filling instead of fresh cherries.
3.When making the whipped cream frosting, make sure everything is chilled, as the cream will whip up better. I stick my mixer bowl and whisk in the freezer beforehand to chill them before starting.
4.This cake will not keep incredibly long due to the whipped cream. I recommend eating within 1-2 days and storing in the fridge. I do not recommend freezing.
