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Traditional Black Forest Cake

Author: Sarah Brooks
This traditional black forest cake is made German style with three layers of decadent chocolate cake, sour cherries, kirshwasser and plenty of whipped cream!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine German
Servings 12 slices, approx.
Calories 553 kcal

Equipment

  • 10 inch cake tin
  • Stand mixer or electric hand beaters
  • Piping bag and nozzel (I used a 2D)

Ingredients

Chocolate sponge cake

  • ½ cup (115gms) unsalted butter
  • 6 large eggs
  • ¾ cup (175gms) sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (150gms) plain flour
  • ½ cup (50gms) Dutch cocoa powder
  • cup (50 gms) corn flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

Cherry filling

  • 1 24 oz jar (680gms) sour cherries such as Morelos
  • 2 tablespoons (30gms) corn starch
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon (15mls) lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons (40gms) white sugar

Cream and decoration

  • 3 cups (750mls) thickened cream
  • 1 tablespoon (5gms) gelatin powder
  • ¼ cup (55gms) white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30mls) kirsch for cream
  • ¼ cup kirsch for cake
  • 1 block (100gms) dark chocolate, divided
  • 12 - 14 fresh cherries, for decoration

Instructions
 

Chocolate sponge cake

  • Pre-heat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan forced). Grease and line the cake tin with baking paper.
  • Melt the butter and set aside to cool.
  • Add the eggs and sugar to a bowl and beat well until pale, thick and creamy. This could take anywhere from 15 - 20 mins depending on your mixer.
  • Sift in the salt, flour, corn starch and cocoa powder. Fold into the mix, taking care not to knock out to much air. Add the cooled melted butter and fold in.
  • Pour the cake mix into the prepared cake tin and bake for thirty minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool completely before starting to assemble the cake.

Cherry filling

  • Drain the jar of cherries over a small pot on the stove and put aside the cherries.
  • Add the corn flour, cinnamon, sugar and lemon juice. Whisk together until combined. Heat on medium, stirring well until sauce thickens up. Add the cherries, mix well and set aside to cool.

Cream and assembling the cake

  • Grate half the chocolate and chop the other half into long thin pieces.
  • Using a large sharp knife or cake saw, cut the cake into three layers. If your cake is a little domed at the top you can flip it over to get a nice smooth surface to decorate your cake.
  • Put two tablespoons of water into a microwave proof bowl. Sprinkle over the gelatin and allow to bloom for at least five minutes, or until the cream is whipped.
  • Put the cream in a bowl and whip until soft peaks just start to form. Add the sugar in a couple of batches and mix between each addition. Add the Kirch and mix in.
  • Melt the gelatin by microwaving for just five to ten seconds. Mix to ensure all the grains are melted. Add one spoon of whipped cream and mix well to temper the gelatin.
  • Slowly pour the gelatin cream mix into the whipped cream, mixing as you beat it.
  • Put some of the cream into a piping bag to finish the decorations.
  • Use a pastry brush to brush the bottom of the cake with Kirsch.
  • Put the cooled cherry mix onto the bottom layer of the cake. Spread out until its about one cm for the edge of the cake. Add some cream and spread over the cherries.
  • Add the middle layer of cake and spread with cream.
  • Add the top layer of cake. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream, taking care to fill the gap in the cherry layer. Ensure the cream covers the side surfaces of the cake to allow the chocolate to stick to it.
  • Put some of the grated chocolate onto a flat surface such as a pastry scraper. Hold the chocolate next to the cake and gently press down to stick the chocolate to the cream. Continue the whole way around the cake until all the sides are covered with chocolate.
  • Use the cream in the piping bag to pipe swirls of cream around the edge of the cake. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate in the center of the cake, saving the bigger pieces to place on top.
  • Finally add fresh cherries to the swirls of cream and you're done!
  • This cake is best eaten within a few hours of making. You can make in the night before and keep it in the fridge overnight. but the Kirsch tends to make the bottom layer of cake a little soft and it may be a little tricky to serve. But will still taste delicious!

Nutrition

Calories: 553kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 11gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 181mgSodium: 124mgPotassium: 329mgFiber: 5gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 1263IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 3mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate based on an online database. The nutritional content of ingredients may vary by brand. If you require accurate nutritional information, you should calculate this based on the specific brands and products you are using.

Keywords: Black Forest Cake, gâteau
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