Black Forest Cake
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 6
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- ½ cup (110 g) butter, softened
- 1+¼ cup (275 g) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1+¼ cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (1.8 dl) buttermilk
Ingredients for filling
- ¼ cup Kirschwasser (Kirsch/cherry brandy), optional
- 2 cans (14 oz or 400 g) cherry pie filling or pitted cherries
- 3 cups (7.2 dl) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- ¼ cup confectioners' sugar
Milk chocolate curls or shavings, for garnish
- Milk chocolate curls or shavings, for garnish
Maraschino cherries or sweet cherries, for garnish, optional
- Maraschino cherries or sweet cherries, for garnish, optional
Method
- STEP 1Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
- STEP 2Line a 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with greaseproof or other non-stick paper.
- STEP 3With an electric mixer, beat the softened butter with sugar until white and fluffy.
- STEP 4Add one egg at a time, mix well between each egg.
- STEP 5Add sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and buttermilk, and mix until the batter is smooth.
- STEP 6Transfer to a cake pan and bake at 350 degrees just until set in the middle, approximately 45-60 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Do not over-bake!
- STEP 7When cake is cool, use a long serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. It is easier to cut if kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.
- STEP 8Filling
- STEP 9Drain cherry pie filling in a colander to remove most of the thickened juices.
- STEP 10Beat the whipping cream with confectioners' sugar until it thickens.
- STEP 11Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate; refrigerate until the cake is assembled.