German Black Forest is a delicious and rich chocolate tart that originates from the Black Forest region of Germany. Traditionally, the Black Forest is made of layers of chocolate cake, whipped cream and cherries. Kirschwasser, a brandy with a tart cherry flavor, is used to give the cake its flavor. In Germany, kirschwasser is a mandatory ingredient to make the Black Forest, and the cake is not legal to sell without it. This cake is a delicious dessert, with or without alcohol.
Ingredients
Traditional Black Forest Cake
- 1 2/3 (210 g) cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (57 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (102 g) white butter
- 1 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cups (350 ml) buttermilk
Stuffing
- 1/2 cup kirschwasser
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup espresso or high-pressure brewed coffee
- 0.75 kg fresh black cherries (or 2 cans (14 ounce) seedless bing cherries, drained)
Icing (icing)
- 2 cups (475 ml) heavy whipped cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 cup kirschwasser
- 2 tbsp milk powder
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
-
1/2 cup thinly grated dark chocolate
Alcohol-free Black Forest Cake with Cherry Pie Filling
- 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Icing
- 475 ml (2 cups) whipped cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp almonds, coarsely chopped
Stuffing
- 1 cup (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
-
1/2 tsp almond extract
Simple Black Forest Cake with Cherry Syrup Filling
- 1 box of dark chocolate cake flour or devil's food instant
- Oil, eggs and water with the recommended amount on the instant flour packaging
Stuffing
- 1 can (15 ounces) thick dark sweet cherry syrup
- 1 tbsp liqueur or cherry flavored brandy (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Icing
- 1 can of whipped cream
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Step
Method 1 of 3: Baking Traditional Black Forest Cake
Step 1. Prepare the filling
The night before you bake the cake, separate the cherries from the seeds. Prepare enough cherries to cover the top of the cake. Then put it in a jar or bowl, and soak it in the kirschwasser overnight.
Use cherries to decorate the outside of the cake. For the center of the cake can be used in large or small quantities, as desired. Leave about 10 cherries to decorate the cake
Step 2. Preheat the oven to 175˚ C
Line the bottoms of three 23 cm diameter round pans with circular parchment paper.
Baking paper is an oil and moisture resistant paper used for cooking. Its function is to help prevent the cake from sticking, which can happen at any time if the pan is only greased with butter. The cake can be removed from the pan easily without leaving any crumbs
Step 3. Sift dry ingredients
Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Then sift into a large bowl. Set aside.
Step 4. Cream (stirring) the white butter and sugar
Cream is one way of stirring. Using your hands or a stand mixer, beat the white butter and sugar on low speed until smooth. Then, beat on high speed until the mixture is frothy and smooth. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
These ingredients should be stirred together in a large bowl. Add other dry and wet ingredients to this mixture
Step 5. Add wet and dry ingredients alternately
Pour a little flour into the white butter mixture, then add a little buttermilk. Alternately, add flour and buttermilk and mix until smooth.
Alternately adding dry and wet ingredients helps maintain the air quality of the dough. When the egg, butter, and sugar mixture is stirred until it expands, it will produce air bubbles. Adding the dry ingredients little by little will prevent air bubbles from popping. Meanwhile, adding a lot of ingredients directly (not gradually) will result in a tough cake
Step 6. Bake at 177˚ C
Pour the batter evenly into the three-layer pan. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until no crumbs stick when pierced with a toothpick.
Step 7. Let the cake cool
After removing the cake from the oven, allow it to cool. When the cake has cooled, remove it from the pan and place on a cooling rack or plate. Remove the parchment paper.
Step 8. Cover the cake layer with kirschwasser
Use a toothpick to make a small hole in the top layer. Drain the cherries from the kirschwasser, and evenly pour the kirschwasser over the third layer of cake.
Step 9. Mix the filling
In a bowl, beat the butter until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, salt and coffee. Beat until it resembles velvet. If the texture is too stiff, add a few teaspoons of cherry juice or kirschwasser.
Step 10. Spread the filling
Place the bottom layer of the Black Forest on a cake plate. Spread of the filling on top of this layer. Sprinkle cherries on top. Put another layer on top of it. Cover this second layer with the remaining filling, sprinkle with cherries, and place the last layer on top.
Cut the cherries in half or into smaller pieces. This makes it easier to eat, and ensures that the cherries are sprinkled between layers evenly
Step 11. Leave the cake in the refrigerator overnight
Leaving it in the refrigerator for a day or two will allow the kirschwasser to soak into the cake more. Make sure to cover the cake to keep it fresh.
This step is not mandatory. However, for a more original taste, let the kirschwasser soak into the cake for a day or two
Step 12. Make the cake icing
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream until completely stiff. To do this, use a hand mixer and start on a low setting, then slowly increase the speed as bubbles form and the cream hardens. Continue beating the cream until it is completely stiff.
- The dough is completely stiff when the shape of the cream does not change when the mixer is lifted. The texture of the cream will be heavy and stiff.
- Use a bowl large enough to hold the icing. Try a bowl with a high rim to prevent the batter from spilling out.
- This step should be done on the day the cake will be served.
Step 13. Stir the milk and sugar
Add the powdered milk and powdered sugar to the cream, and mix gently. Add vanilla extract and kirschwasser. Continue stirring until everything is evenly mixed.
To mix, start at the bottom of the bowl and place the spatula on the dough until it touches the bottom of the bowl. Lift the dough over the newly added ingredients. Then, turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. This method will mix the ingredients gently
Step 14. Apply icing
Using a rubber spatula, cover the top and sides of the cake with icing. Sprinkle the top edge of the cake with whole cherries.
Step 15. Sprinkle with curly shaved chocolate
Take a block of dark cooking chocolate from the refrigerator. Hold it with a paper towel and use a vegetable peeler to scrape the chocolate from the block. The chocolate will form with curly thin shavings. Curly chocolate should be paper thin.
- Make sure the chocolate is cold; otherwise the chocolate may not be shaved properly.
- You can also place as many cherries as you want on top of the cake, between the curly chocolate shavings.
Method 2 of 3: Baking Alcohol-Free Black Forest Cake with Cherry Pie Filling
Step 1. Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 177˚ C. Line the bottoms of two 13 cm diameter round pans with parchment paper or wax paper.
Baking paper or wax paper are better choices than using spray or butter to coat the pan. These papers provide moisture and are oil resistant, so the cake doesn't stick when removed from the pan
Step 2. Mix dry ingredients
Place flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well mixed
Step 3. Add the wet ingredients
Place eggs, milk, oil and vanilla with dry ingredients mixture in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended.
Step 4. Bake for 35 minutes
Pour the batter into a two-layer pan. Bake at 177˚ C for about 35 minutes. Check that the cake is done by sticking a toothpick or fork into the center. If no crumbs stick, then the cake is done.
Step 5. Allow the cake to cool
After removing the cake from the oven, let it cool for about 10 minutes. Then, remove the cake from the tin and place it on a wire cooling rack until it cools completely
Step 6. Make the icing
Put the whipped cream in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer and mix on a low setting, slowly increasing the speed as bubbles begin to form and the cream hardens. When the cream is stiff, add in and stir in the powdered sugar a little at a time until the dough is completely stiff.
The cream is completely stiff when its shape does not change when the mixer is lifted. The texture of the cream will be heavy and hard
Step 7. Mix the pie filling
Mix the cherry pie filling and almond extract in a smaller bowl.
Step 8. Layer the cake
Using a large serrated knife, cut each cake in half, so that there are four layers of cake. Place the layer on a cake plate, with the smooth side facing up. Spread of the whipped cream on top of the cake, then sprinkle of the cherry mixture on top. Cover with another layer, smooth side up. Repeat until the whipped cream and cherries are between each cake layer.
Spread only about 2.5 cm from the edge of the cake to prevent the filling from overflowing
Step 9. Finish icing the cake
Spread the remaining whipped cream on top and sides of the cake. Pour the remaining cherry mixture on top. Sprinkle with chopped almonds.
Method 3 of 3: Baking Simple Black Forest Cake with Cherry Syrup Filling
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 177˚ C
Coat two round pans with non-stick spray. Set the pan aside for now.
If you don't want to split the cake before icing it, use three or four pans. Or simply, make a two-layer cake
Step 2. Mix the instant cake flour
Put one square of instant cake flour into the mixing bowl. Follow the instructions for use on the back of the package, add the oil, egg and water to the mixture. Beat with an electric mixer until evenly mixed.
Step 3. Bake for 30 minutes
Pour the mixture into two pans that have been greased non-stick. Bake for 30 minutes, or until no crumbs stick to a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake.
Step 4. Let the cake cool
Remove the cake from the oven when it is cooked. Cool for 15 minutes. Then, place the cake on a cooling wire rack. Remove the edges of the cake from the pan with a knife before separating it from the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely before icing.
Step 5. Make the cherry filling
Pour a can of cherries into a sieve or colander over a small saucepan or separate the cherries from the syrup. Over medium to high heat, bring the syrup to a boil. Reduce heat, and stir until sat. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Turn off the fire. Add lemon juice, stir. If you want to add alcohol, you can also add kirschwasser or rum. Set aside. Let the filling cool completely before pouring it over the cake.
This step should be completed when the cake is baked or cooled. This will allow enough time for the syrup to cool, before pouring it over the cake
Step 6. Prepare the cherries
Cut the cherries in half or into smaller pieces. Place in a bowl, then add 2 tablespoons of syrup. Stir well.
Step 7. Smear the cake layer
Using a serrated knife, cut the cake into quarters. Make a small hole in the smooth side of the cake using a toothpick. Pour cup cherry syrup over the top layer. Make sure to pour it into the hole so the syrup can soak into the cake.
Step 8. Add icing to the cake
Place the Black Forest on a cake plate, smooth side up. Spray can of whipped cream over the cake, then smooth it out with a rubber spatula. Pour cherries over the filling. Leave the remaining syrup in the bowl. Place another layer of cake on top, smooth side up.
- Repeat this step for the remaining cake layers.
- Make sure to only grease the filling to a distance of 2.5 cm from the edge of the cake. You definitely don't want the filling to overflow.
- If you don't want to use canned whipped cream, try using Cool Whip.
Step 9. Add the finishing touches
Use the remaining whipped cream, then coat the outside of the cake. On top of the cake, pour the remaining cherry syrup over the whipped cream. Decorate the top edge of the cake with the remaining cherries. Make sure to evenly space the cherries. Sprinkle dark chocolate chips on top and sides of cake.
Buy 2 cans of whipped cream if you want more sprinkles. If you want more cherries and cherry syrup, use 1, 5 or 2 cans of cherries
Tips
- Store the cake in the refrigerator
- This cake is best served after it has frozen.
- If you want to bake four separate layers, or if you don't have a lot of pans, you can use two pans and then split each cake to get four layers.
- If you want a quicker version, use dark chocolate cake flour or instant devil's food.
- Black Forest is a layered cake. You can adjust the number of layers as needed. Try two, three, or even four layers.
- Use any combination of cakes, fillings, and icings in the methods above for a delicious cake.
- Switch to brandy if you don't get kirschwasser. Rum is used for the Black Forest variation from Austria.
- If you want an original Black Forest cake, don't use the cherry pie filling. It is a variation of North America. If you can't get your hands on black or bing cherries (fresh or canned), try cherry juice.
