The Black Forest Cake is an iconic German chocolate cake, renowned for its layers of rich chocolate sponge, whipped cream, and tart cherries. This recipe demystifies this classic, offering a step-by-step guide to creating this showstopper in your own kitchen, making it an achievable yet impressive dessert.
Key Ingredients for Black Forest Cake
For the Chocolate Sponge Layers:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 cup brewed strong coffee, hot
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cherry Filling:
- 2 (21-ounce) cans pitted dark sweet cherries, undrained
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons kirsch (cherry liqueur), optional but recommended
For the Whipped Cream Frosting:
- 3 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons kirsch (cherry liqueur), optional
For Assembly and Decoration:
- Chocolate shavings or curls (from a good quality dark chocolate bar)
- Fresh cherries for garnish, optional
How to Make Black Forest Cake
This Black Forest Cake recipe is surprisingly straightforward, promising a deeply satisfying chocolate experience with every bite. You’ll achieve perfectly moist chocolate cake layers, a luscious cherry filling bursting with flavor, and a cloud-like whipped cream frosting. The addition of kirsch elevates the authentic taste, but it’s delicious even without it. Preparation time is approximately 45 minutes, with an additional 2-3 hours for chilling and decorating.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Chocolate Sponge Cake Layers:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line them with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed (or with a whisk) until just combined. The batter will be thick.
- Slowly and carefully pour in the hot brewed coffee, mixing on low speed until the batter is smooth and pourable. Be cautious as the hot coffee can splutter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, you can tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate to make them easier to slice evenly.
Prepare the Cherry Filling:
- Drain the cherries, reserving about 1 cup of the cherry juice.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the reserved cherry juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved.
- Add the drained cherries and kirsch (if using) to the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil. This should take about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let it cool completely, stirring occasionally. You can speed this up by transferring it to a bowl and chilling it in the refrigerator.
Prepare the Whipped Cream Frosting:
- Ensure your bowl and whisk attachment (or hand mixer) are very cold. This helps the cream whip up better.
- Pour the cold heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl.
- Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue beating until stiff peaks form, meaning the cream holds its shape when the beaters are lifted.
- If using kirsch, gently fold it into the whipped cream. Be careful not to overmix.
Assemble the Black Forest Cake:
- Once the cake layers are completely cool, carefully slice each cake layer in half horizontally, creating four thinner layers in total.
- Place the first cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. If you have parchment paper, you can place strips of it under the edges of the cake to keep your serving plate clean and remove them later easily.
- Brush this layer generously with kirsch or cherry juice if you are not using kirsch.
- Spread a layer of the whipped cream frosting evenly over the kirsch-soaked cake layer.
- Spoon about a third of the cooled cherry filling over the whipped cream.
- Repeat this process with the remaining cake layers, frosting, and cherry filling, ending with a final layer of cake on top.
- Crumb coat the entire cake: apply a thin, even layer of whipped cream all over the cake to seal in any loose crumbs. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Once the crumb coat is firm, apply the remaining whipped cream frosting to the sides and top of the cake, smoothing it with an offset spatula.
- Decorate generously with chocolate shavings or curls. For a traditional look, pipe rosettes of whipped cream around the edges of the cake and top each rosette with a fresh cherry.
- Chill the assembled cake for at least 2-3 hours before slicing and serving to allow the flavors to meld and the cake to set.
Why You’ll Love This Black Forest Cake
Prepare to fall in love with this Black Forest Cake, a truly majestic dessert that brings the authentic taste of Germany right to your table. Its main feature is the irresistible combination of moist, intensely chocolatey sponge, vibrant cherry filling, and ethereal whipped cream, creating a symphony of textures and flavors in every forkful. Making this spectacular cake at home is not only incredibly rewarding but also remarkably cost-effective compared to purchasing a similar quality cake from a bakery, allowing you to indulge in a slice of pure luxury without breaking the bank. The depth of flavor from the rich cocoa, the sweet-tart burst of the cherries, and the light, airy whipped cream frosting all come together to create an unforgettable experience, far surpassing a simpler chocolate cake in complexity and delight.
This Black Forest Cake is more than just a dessert; it’s an experience, a centerpiece that will wow your guests or simply make your everyday a little more special. Unlike a basic chocolate layer cake, the characteristic interplay of chocolate, cream, and fruit makes this a truly unique treat. Don’t miss out on the joy of creating and savoring this classic German masterpiece. Give it a try tonight and discover your new favorite homemade dessert!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Storing Leftover Black Forest Cake:
- Refrigeration: Due to the whipped cream frosting, Black Forest Cake must be stored in the refrigerator.
- Method: Place the cake in an airtight container. If you don’t have one large enough, loosely tent the cake with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out, while still allowing some air circulation.
- Duration: Properly stored, Black Forest Cake will stay fresh for 3-4 days. The integrity of the whipped cream may slightly diminish after the second day.
Freezing Leftover Black Forest Cake:
- Recommendation: Freezing this cake is not ideal due to the whipped cream and kirsch, which can affect texture upon thawing. However, if you must freeze it:
- Method: Ensure the cake is well chilled. Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
- Duration: For best quality, consume within 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Reheating Black Forest Cake:
- This cake is best served chilled and does not require reheating. Simply allow it to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving if it’s been in the refrigerator for a while, or serve directly from chilled.
Final Thoughts
This Black Forest Cake recipe offers a truly delightful journey into classic German baking. We encourage you to embrace the process and savor the incredibly rewarding outcome. Gather your ingredients and create a show-stopping dessert that promises pure joy with every decadent bite.
Read more also:
- Sugar Cookie Cheesecake
- Best German Chocolate Cake
- Hot Cocoa Poke Cake
- Tasty Tiramisu Yule Log Cake
- Boozy Eggnog Bundt Cake
- Our Pinterest
Black Forest Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line them with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.2 large eggs, at room temperature, 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed (or with a whisk) until just combined. The batter will be thick.
- Slowly and carefully pour in the hot brewed coffee, mixing on low speed until the batter is smooth and pourable. Be cautious as the hot coffee can splutter.1 cup brewed strong coffee, hot
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, you can tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate to make them easier to slice evenly.
- Drain the cherries, reserving about 1 cup of the cherry juice.2 (21-ounce) cans pitted dark sweet cherries, undrained
- In a medium saucepan, combine the reserved cherry juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved.¼ cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste), 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Add the drained cherries and kirsch (if using) to the saucepan.2 (21-ounce) cans pitted dark sweet cherries, undrained, 2 tablespoons kirsch (cherry liqueur), optional but recommended
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil. This should take about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let it cool completely, stirring occasionally. You can speed this up by transferring it to a bowl and chilling it in the refrigerator.
- Ensure your bowl and whisk attachment (or hand mixer) are very cold. This helps the cream whip up better.
- Pour the cold heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl.3 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue beating until stiff peaks form, meaning the cream holds its shape when the beaters are lifted.1 cup powdered sugar, sifted, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- If using kirsch, gently fold it into the whipped cream. Be careful not to overmix.2 tablespoons kirsch (cherry liqueur), optional
- Once the cake layers are completely cool, carefully slice each cake layer in half horizontally, creating four thinner layers in total.
- Place the first cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. If you have parchment paper, you can place strips of it under the edges of the cake to keep your serving plate clean and remove them later easily.
- Brush this layer generously with kirsch or cherry juice if you are not using kirsch.2 tablespoons kirsch (cherry liqueur), optional but recommended
- Spread a layer of the whipped cream frosting evenly over the kirsch-soaked cake layer.
- Spoon about a third of the cooled cherry filling over the whipped cream.
- Repeat this process with the remaining cake layers, frosting, and cherry filling, ending with a final layer of cake on top.
- Crumb coat the entire cake: apply a thin, even layer of whipped cream all over the cake to seal in any loose crumbs. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Once the crumb coat is firm, apply the remaining whipped cream frosting to the sides and top of the cake, smoothing it with an offset spatula.
- Decorate generously with chocolate shavings or curls. For a traditional look, pipe rosettes of whipped cream around the edges of the cake and top each rosette with a fresh cherry.Chocolate shavings or curls (from a good quality dark chocolate bar), Fresh cherries for garnish, optional
- Chill the assembled cake for at least 2-3 hours before slicing and serving to allow the flavors to meld and the cake to set.