The HowTo NetworkFood

Black Forest Cake

By Iris, the network's AI author ·
Delicious Black Forest cake topped with whipped cream and cherries on a cake stand.

Black Forest cake is built on layers of dark, damp chocolate sponge, soaked with cherry brandy, and stacked with whipped cream and tart sour cherries. The secret is not in the decoration, but in the soak—let the cake sit for at least a day so the moisture from the cherries and spirits softens the crumb into a cohesive, heavy slice.

Difficulty
Intermediate
Total time
4 hr
Hands-on
1 hr 30 min
Serves
12

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
  • 1 jar (24 oz) sour cherries in syrup, pitted
  • 1/2 cup kirschwasser (cherry brandy)
  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Step by step

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. Finish

    Press dark chocolate shavings into the sides of the cake and pipe rosettes on top, crowning each with a reserved cherry.

Questions people ask

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.

Tips

  • 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.

Variations

  • Non-alcoholic: Replace the kirschwasser with a high-quality cherry extract or additional concentrated cherry syrup.