Cherries and chocolate is a classic flavor combination, and Black Forest cake brings these ingredients together in a particularly elegant, sweet way. The Bavarian-inspired dessert features layers of chocolate cake sandwiched with light whipped cream frosting and pockets of bright, tart cherries. Although the cake isn't hard to make, it does involve quite a few components, so it's wise to set aside a couple of hours to make the cake from start to finish when you're baking and decorating.
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2
Trace the bottom of one 8-inch circular cake pan twice onto a sheet of parchment paper. Cut out both parchment circles and place one in the bottom of each cake pan.
Step 3
Coat the pans lightly with cooking spray or rub them with butter and dust them with flour.
Step 4
Stir 1 2/3 cup flour, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl.
Step 5
Place 1/2 cup, or one stick, of softened butter and 1 1/4 cup sugar in another bowl.
Step 6
Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.
Step 7
Add two eggs, one at a time, to the mixture while beating it, as well as 1 tsp. vanilla.
Step 8
Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat with the electric mixer for 30 seconds to one minute.
Step 9
Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and beat again. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and the last of the buttermilk.
Step 10
Pour the batter evenly into the two cake pans. Bake the cakes for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick poked into their centers comes out clean.
Step 11
Let the cakes cool in their pans for five to 10 minutes before unmolding them onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step 12
Make the cake filling by combining 20 oz. tart cherries, 1/4 cup of the cherry juice from the can, 2/3 cup sugar and 2 tbsp. cornstarch in a pot. Stir the mixture constantly until it thickens, then take the filling off of the stove and let it cool.
Step 13
Set one cooled cake layer on a platter and spoon slightly more than half the cooled filling onto the layer. Top with the second layer, and spoon the remaining filling on top of the cake.
Step 14
Pour 1 pint heavy whipping cream, 3 tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream mixture until it forms stiff peaks.
Step 15
Frost the top and sides of the cake with generous dollops of whipped cream to finish.
Tips and Warnings
- If you'd like, you can pour a simple syrup of Kirschwasser, sugar and water over each cake layer before topping it with the filling. To finish, garnish with chocolate curls.
Things You'll Need
- Oven
- 2 8-inch cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Scissors
- Cooking spray
- 2 bowls
- Spoon
- 1 2/3 cup flour
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- Electric mixer
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup buttermilk
- Wire rack
- 1 20-oz. can tart cherries
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- Saucepot
- Stove
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- Electric mixer
- Spatula
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