Black Forest Cake

he original name of this popular German dessert is Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte aka Black Forest cherry torte. It is known by different names in different parts of the world. In India, its popular as black forest pastry, in the US, as black forest and in the UK, as black forest gateau. The authentic black forest is a multiple chocolate layer cake which is soaked in Kirschwasser liqueur (a clear liqueur distilled from cherries) and covered with whipped cream and cherry filling.

In India most bakeries that offer black forest on the menu replace the Kirsch liqueur with tinned cherry syrup. The black forest cake that I have eaten and know of has 3 to 4 layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and maraschino cherries between each layer, topped with whipped cream and decorated with cherries and grated chocolate or chocolate shards. Family and friends rave about the black forest cake I make at home. Honestly, it is way better than the store bought cake. If you are planning on preparing sweet recipes for kids for a get together or birthday party, you should consider black forest cake..

 

Black Forest Cake Recipe

Prep time: 60 min

Cook time: 45 min

Yield: 8

Main Ingredients: flour cocoa powder cherries whipping cream

 

Ingredients

• Flour - 2 cups
• Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
• Cocoa powder - 3/4 cup, unsweetened
• Baking soda - 1 1/2 tsps
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - pinch
• Milk - 1 cup
• Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Instant coffee powder - 1 1/2 tbsps
• Hot water - 1 cup
• Eggs - 2
• For layering:
• Whipping cream - 2 cups (I used Rich's)
• Tinned cherries - 1 tin
• Chocolate - 1/2 cup, grated or chocolate shards to decorate

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Centigrade. Grease and flour two 9" cake pans or three 6" cake pans. I used three 6" cake pans.
2. Add a tbsp of instant coffee powder to the hot water and keep aside.
3. In a large bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the sugar and mix well with the dry ingredients.
4. Make a well in the center and add the milk, oil, vanilla essence and beaten eggs and mix. Finally add the hot coffee mixture and mix. Do not over mix.
5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 40 mts or until a skewer comes out clean. Start checking from 35 mts onwards.
6. Cool on a wire rack for 30 mts before inverting onto a wire rack. Bring to room temperature. If the cake has a dome shape, use a serrated knife and slice the dome off and level the cake till it has a flat top.
7. While the cake is cooling, prepare the whipping cream. Place a very large bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 mts before beating the whipping cream..
8. Place ice cubes in a plate. Place the cold bowl on the ice cubes and pour two cups of whipping cream in the bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form, approx 5-6 mts. Place the whipped cream in the fridge till you start assembling the cake.
9. Open the tinned cherries and drain the liquid (cherry syrup). Measure 1 cup of syrup and add 3 tbsps powdered sugar and mix. This is to reduce the tartness of the cherry syrup.
10. Pit 1 cup of cherries, chop into small pieces and keep aside. Reserve 1/4 cup of whole cherries for decoration.
11. To assemble the cake:
12. On a turntable, place a cake board that has been lined with shiny silver or gold paper. Invert the cake and place it upside down on top of the cake base so that the cake has a flat top.
13. Drizzle 5 to 6 tbsps of cherry syrup or sugar syrup over the cake layer covering the entire cake. Do not drizzle too much syrup as the cake might get soggy,
14. Using a spatula spread a cup of whipped cream . Leave a gap of 1" along the edge of the cake. It should be a thick layer. Over the layer spread some of the chopped cherries.
15. Place another layer of inverted cake over the first layer and repeat the same process with cherry syrup, whipped cream and chopped cherries.
16. Finally place the inverted cake layer with the flat top and drizzle with cherry syrup all over and spread a thin layer of whipped cream on top and along the sides of the cake.
17. Use a cake comb along the sides and create a comb effect all around the cake. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 hours at this stage.
18. Place the remaining whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tip and place in fridge. At the time of serving, remove the cake from the fridge and pipe stars along the top edge of the cake and at the base of the cake as shown in the picture above.
19. Place a cherry on top of each piped out star and sprinkle grated chocolate. You can also place chocolate shards along the sides. You can decorate as your fancy.
20. Place the cake in the fridge for at least another hour and serve. If you are rushed for time, you can go ahead and serve the cake.

Tips

• The whipping cream makes 4 cups of whipped cream.
• Instead of cherry syrup, you can use sugar syrup. Mix 3/4 cup of powdered sugar to 1 1/2 cups of water and mix. Chill till use.
• 2 tbsp of rum can be added to the cherry syrup for a touch of alcohol. I have not added any rum to the above recipe.
• The flavor of the cake is best when the cake sits in the fridge for a minimum of 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove the whipping cream from freezer the earlier day and place in the fridge. The left over whipping cream can be frozen for a few more weeks. But do not store the cream that has been whipped. Use it as required for cake decoration and discard the left over whipped cream or use it to prepare another dessert.
• The left over cherry syrup can be stored in a clean plastic or glass container and kept in the freezer up to a few weeks. The left over cherries can be stored in a clean plastic or glass container and kept in the freezer. Discard the can and do not store the left overs in it.
• You can skip the step 17 above and complete the final cake decoration and refrigerate the cake for a few hours and serve.