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Black Forest Cake

A Black Forest cake is a great classic of German cuisine. By the way, did you know that the Black Forest is a mountainous region in Germany? Personally, I love this dessert, but I think if you’re going to take the time to make this beautiful cake, you should use fresh cherries and avoid maraschino or canned cherries. I believe that’s the secret to a really good cake. My version of this dessert is alcohol-free, but you could add Kirsch for a more traditional version.
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Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ,salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brewed coffee (note: coffee enhances the chocolate flavor!)
  • 1 cup vegetable oil (e.g., canola, corn, olive oil, etc.)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup melted milk chocolate

Cherry Filling

  • 900 g fresh cherries, pitted and stemmed
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • Juice of 2 lemons

Whipped Cream

  • 750 ml 35% cream
  • 2/3 cup icing sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325°C.
  • Grease two 9-inch round pans and place a round sheet of parchment paper at the bottom of each.
  • In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together, including the granulated sugar.
  • Add the vinegar to the milk, and in another bowl, combine the liquid ingredients: coffee, oil, and milk with vinegar.
  • Next, add the eggs and vanilla, then gradually incorporate the dry ingredients.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cherry Filling

  • Place the cherries in a saucepan with the lemon juice.
  • Add the sugar and cornstarch.
  • Stir continuously until it thickens and you get a nice glossy red filling.

Whipped Cream

  • Whip the 35% cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until you get a fairly firm mousse.

Assembly

  • Wait until your cherry filling and cakes are at room temperature.
  • Take the first cake layer, spread a thin layer of whipped cream, then add the cherry filling on top.
  • Place the second cake layer on top and cover the sides and top of the cake with whipped cream.
  • If you want to add chocolate shavings, it’s best to do so immediately after applying the whipped cream all over the cake.
  • You can then use a piping bag to make decorations and add a few cherries on top for a beautiful presentation.

Notes

You should have enough whipped cream to make all the piping decorations and cover the cake. If you don’t plan on decorating with a piping bag, you might want to reduce the whipped cream quantities, otherwise you’ll have too much.