A Guide To Achieving Black Forest Cake Bliss

The key to achieving the perfect Black Forest Cake is to focus on the core components the moist chocolate sponge cake, the tart cherry filling, the rich whipped cream, and the decadent chocolate garnishes.

First, rather than being dense or dry, the chocolate sponge cake should be delicate and light. To achieve the perfect crumb, recipes usually combine eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, and a leavening agent, such as baking soda or powder. To give the black forest cake designs its distinctive cherry flavour, the cake layers must be soaked in a cherry liqueur or syrup.

The cherry filling is the next important component. When paired with a thickened cherry syrup or liqueur, Morello (sour) cherries which can be found in cans or fresh offer a delightful combination of sweetness and tartness. Make sure that the cherries are spaced out throughout the layers of cake equally.

What is black forest cake?

A chocolate cake soaked in cherry syrup, a cherry filling, and fluffy whipped cream makes up layers of black forest cake, which has its origins in Germany. Schwarzwälder Kirsch is a particular German cherry liqueur that is typically used to flavour cakes, hence the name of the cake. In Germany, the liquor is made in the Schwarzwäld mountain range. This cake receives its name from this phrase, which translates to “Black Forest mountain rage.”

How to make black forest cake

The following ingredients will help you create the tastiest and easiest black cherry forest cake:

Chocolate cake- I make four layers by baking the batter in two 8-inch pans and dividing each layer in half.
Between the layers of cake, add cherries and soak them in cherry syrup. My favorite feature of this recipe is how extremely moist the cake is thanks to the syrups.
Whipped cream- used to sandwich the layers and frost the cake.
Chocolate shavings- I prepare chocolate shavings using this technique. Store-bought ones work well, although they are typically very pricey. If you find this step challenging, you can use a vegetable peeler or microplane to grate chocolate, covering the top of the cake only.

What kind of cherries should I use?

I use canned cherries because, unlike fresh cherries, they’re easier to utilize and accessible year-round. Furthermore, the cherries don’t need to be cooked because they are already mushy and pitted, and the juice from them can enhance the flavour of the cherries. Although sweet cherries also work well, I like to use sour cherries.

Kirsch

Kirsch provides the best cherry flavour, so if you want that traditional black forest cake flavour, use it. Add extra cherry juice in its place to make the cake alcohol-free.

Tips for making black forest cake

Avoid over-mixing the cake mixture. The cake will become less fluffy and light if you overmix it. Just until all of the ingredients are combined, gently stir the batter.
Apply Kirsch. The classic cherry-flavoured liqueur used in black forest cake is called kirsch. I strongly advise utilizing it in place of a replacement. However, you can use cherry juice in its stead to make the cake alcohol-free.
Don’t beat the cream too much. Heavy cream that is overwhipped will become butter. To make the cream hard enough to maintain its shape, whip it until stiff peaks appear. For more thorough instructions, you can also read my post on creating homemade whipped cream.

More of my favourite layer cakes

White Cake: Rich, creamy vanilla buttercream is placed on top of moist, fluffy vanilla cake.
Chocolate Layer Cake: A decadent cake that works well for any gathering.
Gender Announce Cake: To announce the gender in the tastiest way possible, use any colours you like.
Rich chocolate cake: Layered with crunchy hazelnuts, creamy hazelnut frosting, and chocolate hazelnut cake.
Funfetti Layer Cake: Made with creamy icing and an abundance of colourful sprinkles.

Black Forest Cake Recipe

Layers of rich chocolate cake drenched in cherry sauce, fluffy whipped cream, and juicy cherries combine to make this simple and delectable black forest cake recipe.

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

YIELD 8-inch cake

Ingredients

The ingredients typically used in a Black Forest Cake include:

Chocolate Cake:

1 ¾ cups (250g) all-purpose flour, sifted
⅔ cup (65 grams) of organic, unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup (120 ml) of neutral oil, like vegetable or canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
1 cup (240 ml) hot water

Cherries and Cherry Syrup:

1 cup drained, canned cherries
¼ cup Kirsch, or another cherry liqueur
cherry juice from canned cherries (drain cherries and reserve the juice)

Whipped Cream Frosting:

3 cups (720 ml) heavy cream, cold
½ cup (58g) powdered sugar, sifted

Optional Decorations:

200g/7 oz. chocolate shavings
Fresh whole cherries

Instructions

To prepare the chocolate cake: Heat the oven to 350°F, or 180°C. Grease two 8-inch cake pans that are at least 2 inches high. Lightly tap the ramekins to remove any excess cocoa powder after dusting.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt in a big bowl. Stir until well blended. Put aside.
Combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and water in a medium-sized bowl; carefully add the water to avoid cooking the eggs. Blend until silky. Blend the flour mixture until smooth after adding the egg mixture. The batter will first be lumpy, so don’t overbeat it. Instead, mix it gradually and whisk it only until it’s smooth. There will be a thin, watery batter.
The batter should be scraped into the pans. Cakes should be baked for 30 to 35 minutes (the exact time may vary according to your oven), or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few wet crumbs attached. After removing the mould, let the cakes cool entirely on a wire rack after they have cooled in the pan for ten minutes. Before cutting the cakes, I suggest covering them in plastic wrap and putting them in the refrigerator or freezer for a few hours. Each cake layer should be cut in half lengthwise.
To prepare the syrup: Transfer the drained cherries to a medium-sized basin, then mix in ½ cup of Kirsch and ½ cup of canned cherry juice. After soaking the cherries for at least half an hour at room temperature, strain the cherries through a sieve into a basin, preserving the cherries and syrup. To make ¾ cup of syrup, add more cherry juice to the mixture (you can discard or keep the remaining juice for later purposes, you won’t need it). This is going to be the cake layers’ soaking syrup.
To create the whipped cream: Beat heavy cream and powdered sugar with a stand mixer or hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Go here to learn more about creating the ideal whipped cream.
Assembly: Spoon ⅓ of the cherry syrup over one cake layer that is placed on a dish or cake stand. Dredge ⅓ of the cherries on top of a thick layer (about 1 cup) of whipped cream frosting. There’s no need to soak the top layer of cake with syrup; just repeat with the remaining layers twice more and top with the final layer. Use whipped cream to frost the cake’s sides and top. Save about 1½ cups of the whipped cream for decorating the top, if desired. Pipe a border of rounds around the top using a pastry bag fitted with a large flower tip. Add entire cherries on top. If desired, sprinkle chocolate shavings over the top and sides. Cake can be kept in the refrigerator covered for up to 4 days.