My husband’s birthday is December 26, and he often asks for Black Forest Cake. I am always glad when he chooses this cake because I love it, and because it is the perfect cake for eating the day after Christmas. Black Forest Cake is a chocolate sponge cake brushed with cherry syrup, filled with whipped cream and cherries, and frosted with more whipped cream. I am sure with the eggs and whipped cream, that it does have a quite high calorie total, but because it contains no butter, this cake at least seems much lighter than other cakes.
The Recipe is from the William-Sonoma Cakes cookbook. My cake is very close to theirs. I add a bit of extra whipped cream and chocolate curls. I also leave out the kirsch, but am leaving it in the recipe because the cake originally contained it. This a really great book with lots of information on baking techniques. My recipe assumes you know these techniques (such as folding), but if you want to learn more, I highly suggest this book. It does appear to be out of print, making new ones quite expensive, but used ones are quite reasonable.
This recipe was shared on Foodie Friends Friday.
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa
- 1/2 tsp. instant coffee
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 6 eggs, at room temperature, separated
- 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 pound cherries, pitted, stemmed, and halved plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 Tbsps. kirsch, divided (optional)
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsps. confectioners’ sugar
- 4 oz. good quality dark chocolate (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and flour two 9″ round cake pans. I also line mine with parchment and grease and flour the parchment.
- Sift together flour, cocoa, coffee and salt.
- Using the paddle attachment to your electric stand mixer, beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until they become thick and lightened in color. When this happens, you will be able to pull the paddle out of the eggs and the egg will fall off the paddle in a way that looks like a ribbon. This will probably take three or four minutes.
- In a separate bowl (or you can remove the yolks and thoroughly wash the bowl you were using) beat the egg whites using the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Continue beating, while slowly pouring 1/2 cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolks to lighten the yolks. Then, fold in the remaining whites.
- Fold in flour mixture, 1/4 at a time. Folding until all streaks disappear between each addition.
- Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow cakes to cook for 10 minutes in the pans sitting on wire racks.
- Remove cakes from pans and allow to cool completely before frosting and filling.
- Bring water and remaining 1/4 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Continue cooking until sugar is dissolved.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons kirsch, if using, and cherries. Let sit for 30 minutes.
- Strain cherries from liquid, reserving liquid.
- Whip cream using the whisk attachment to an electric stand mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually, add confectioners’ sugar and kirsch (if using) and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Brush both cake layers with about 3 tablespoons each of the liquid you strained off the cherries.
- Frost one layer with whipped cream.
- Top whipped cream with cherries and press them lightly into the whipped cream.
- Top with second layer and frost the entire cake with whipped cream.
- If desired, use a vegetable peeler to create curls out of the chocolate and garnish the cake with the chocolate curls and additional cherries. I always make the chocolate curls while I am letting the cherries sit in the syrup.
 - https://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com/black-forest-cake/){kind=link}
Michelle, I told you before that this cake looks divine! Thank you for sharing your recipe on Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party! I need to go shop for ingredients!
It’s a gorgeous cake!!
It looks heavenly – perfect cake for your love-one
If you left out the kirsch what did you use to make rhe syurp?
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Just the sugar and water. The cherries will still flavor it.
Ok thanks. Making this for a company picnic next week. This will be my first one. So excited.
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Black forest cake is the best cake ever! Yours looks just wonderful!
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Thank you!
it looks lovely!
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Thank you!
Do you let the syrup mixture contiue to cook when you add the cherries or simply let the cherries sit in the syrup off the stove?
Thanks in advance!! I’m going to be making this for my boyfriend’s birthday later this week! Can’t wait!!
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Just let the cherries sit in the syrup.