Black Forest Cake
Black Forest Cake is rated
out of
5 by
5.
Prep Time:
35 minutes
Cook Time:
35 minutes
Servings:
10
A filling of cherries and kirsch-flavored whipped cream is standard in this classic German cake. To poach the cherries, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 3/4 cups water and 1/3 cup granulated sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup fresh pitted Bing or other dark sweet cherries, reduce the heat to low and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Let the cherries cool, then drain; discard the syrup. Frozen or jarred cherries may also be used. Cook the frozen cherries as directed above. Jarred cherries have already been poached.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 6 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
For the sugar syrup:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
For the filling and frosting:
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 Tbs. confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp. kirsch
- Poached cherries (see note above)
- Semisweet (plain) chocolate curls
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-by-3-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
To make the cake, sift together the flour and cocoa powder onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, vanilla and granulated sugar on high speed until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture in 2 additions and carefully fold in with a large rubber spatula. Fold a large dollop into the melted butter, then fold back into the egg mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is puffed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
To make the sugar syrup, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
To make the filling and frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream and confectioners' sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. In a small bowl, combine the kirsch and the sugar syrup.
Run a table knife around the edge of the pan and unmold the cake onto a work surface. Turn the cake right side up, leaving the parchment paper in place. Cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Put the top layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Brush with some of the syrup, then spread with about one-fourth of the whipped cream. Strew the cherries over the cream (reserve 1 cherry for garnish), leaving a 1/2-inch border of cream around the edge. Position the middle cake layer on the cream. Brush with some of the syrup and spread with another one-fourth of the cream. Position the third cake layer, cut side down, on the cream and peel off the parchment paper. Brush with the remaining syrup. Spread the remaining whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake.
Press the chocolate curls onto the top of the cake. Put the reserved cherry in the middle. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8 to 10.
To make the cake, sift together the flour and cocoa powder onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, vanilla and granulated sugar on high speed until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture in 2 additions and carefully fold in with a large rubber spatula. Fold a large dollop into the melted butter, then fold back into the egg mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is puffed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
To make the sugar syrup, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
To make the filling and frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream and confectioners' sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. In a small bowl, combine the kirsch and the sugar syrup.
Run a table knife around the edge of the pan and unmold the cake onto a work surface. Turn the cake right side up, leaving the parchment paper in place. Cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Put the top layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Brush with some of the syrup, then spread with about one-fourth of the whipped cream. Strew the cherries over the cream (reserve 1 cherry for garnish), leaving a 1/2-inch border of cream around the edge. Position the middle cake layer on the cream. Brush with some of the syrup and spread with another one-fourth of the cream. Position the third cake layer, cut side down, on the cream and peel off the parchment paper. Brush with the remaining syrup. Spread the remaining whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake.
Press the chocolate curls onto the top of the cake. Put the reserved cherry in the middle. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8 to 10.
Adapted from
Williams-Sonoma Collection Series,
Cake,
by Fran Gage
(Simon & Schuster, 2003).
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$47.95
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Lisa from
Please, remove this recipe
Ignoring the other reviews, I tried it. Followed exactly and the cake was so bad! This recipe should be removed from this site to save others the trouble.
Date published: 2021-07-24
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Mindy from
Cake batter too complicated
I have been a baker 70 years. This car was too complicated or your instructions are awful. I had tobremake my birthday cake using another recipe. Only one layer was okay.
Date published: 2019-07-06
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Momof4chicks from
Rich and delicate
The only addition I added was a dash of espresso in the batter to enhance the chocolate flavor. Fresh cherries weren't available so I used frozen cherries thawed and cooked to thicken like a syrup, with the cherry liquor. I prefer an Italian buttercream over a whipped cream filling. Definitely whip for the outside! Will be making this cake base for many cakes to come
Date published: 2017-01-11
Rated 5 out of
5
by
TourianKitchen from
Worth the Effort!
My daughter and i tackled this recipe for a Fourth of July cookout. We took some time the week before to familiarize ourselves with the recipe and gather the ingredients. The effort was well worth it. We followed the recipe exactly as written, and it was delicious! The cake was moist, not egg-y, and the flavor of the cherry syrup and cherries along with the whipped cream was divine! We used the "chopstick" method to pit the cherries, and used a potato peeler to shave the chocolate (1/2 cup was more than enough to sprinkle atop the cake). We will definitely make this cake again!
Date published: 2013-07-05
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Anapaula from
Perfect to impress at tea time!
The cake is outstanding, follow exactly the recipe, it is not a common cake, the flour amount is right as this is a very humid, almost flourless chocolate cake, this is one of the reasons of such a delicate cake in the end. Before cutting the cake into layers let it stand for about 5 hours, it is better if you bake the it one day ahead.
Date published: 2012-10-04