Black Forest Cake Recipe
Welcome to the world of the Black Forest Cake! This iconic dessert, with its layers of chocolate cake, whipped cream, cherries, and kirsch, is a true delight for the senses. But it's more than just a delicious cake; it's a symbol of German culture and baking heritage, with a story that spans centuries.
Ingredients
For the cake:
Dry ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups 219g all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup 65g unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ cups 350g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder optional
Wet ingredients:
- ½ cup 120ml canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup 180g full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ cup 120ml buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup 120ml hot water or coffee
For the cherry filling:
- 2 15oz cans dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup
- 2 tablespoons cherry liqueur kirsch or kirschwasser
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the chocolate ganache:
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream hot
Additional:
- Maraschino cherries for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and hot water or coffee.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 21-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cakes are cooling, prepare the cherry filling. In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries and their syrup with the cherry liqueur. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until the cherries are softened.
- Let the cherry filling cool completely.
- To make the whipped cream, in a large bowl, whisk together the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- To make the chocolate ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream until just simmering. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread a layer of the cherry filling over the cake layer. Top with a layer of whipped cream.
- Repeat with the remaining cake layers and filling, ending with a layer of whipped cream.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
- Garnish with maraschino cherries, if desired.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Enjoy!