Black Forest Cake
This cake demands patience. You are balancing the bitterness of high-quality cocoa against the sharp acidity of sour cherries and the weight of fresh cream.
Wait for the crumb to settle.
Do not attempt to slice or frost the cake while it is warm, or the cream will slide off and the sponge will tear.
- two 9-inch springform pans
- stand mixer with whisk attachment
- fine mesh sieve
- offset spatula
What goes in.
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 3/4 cupdutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 cupsgranulated sugar
- 2 tspbaking soda
- 1 tspsalt
- 1 cupbuttermilk
- 1/2 cupneutral oil
- 2large eggs
- 1 cupfreshly brewed hot coffee
- 1 jar (24 oz)sour cherries in syrup, pitted
- 1/2 cupkirschwasser (cherry brandy)
- 3 cupsheavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cuppowdered sugar
Infusing the layers
Brush the cooled cake layers generously with the reserved cherry syrup and kirschwasser mixture. The sponge should be damp to the touch but not sodden.
The method.
Bake the sponges
Whisk dry ingredients, then fold in wet. Pour into greased pans and bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
Prepare the cherry filling
Drain the cherries but reserve the liquid. Simmer the liquid in a small saucepan until reduced by half, then stir in the kirschwasser.
Whip the cream
Beat cold cream and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until it holds firm, stable peaks. Do not over-beat or it will turn to butter.
Assemble
Place one layer down, brush with syrup, spread a layer of cream, and scatter the cherries. Repeat for the second layer and frost the exterior.
Finish
Press dark chocolate shavings into the sides of the cake and pipe rosettes on top, crowning each with a reserved cherry.
Other turns to take.
Non-alcoholic
Replace the kirschwasser with a high-quality cherry extract or additional concentrated cherry syrup.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a vegetable peeler to create chocolate shavings from a room-temperature block of bittersweet chocolate.
Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving to allow the cream to firm up and the flavors to migrate into the sponge.
If the layers dome during baking, use a serrated bread knife to level them while they are still slightly warm.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use fresh sweet cherries instead of jarred?
The structure of the cake relies on the acidity and the syrup provided by jarred sour cherries. Fresh cherries will be too sweet and lack the necessary liquid for the soak.
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