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Black Forest Cake

Authentic German Black Forest Cake

A stunning, moist two-layer chocolate cake featuring tart cherries, a Kirschwasser soak, and stable whipped cream frosting in a modern naked-cake style.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: German
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chocolate Sponge
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour sifted
  • 0.75 cup Cocoa powder Dutch-processed
  • 2 cups Granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 cup Boiling water to bloom cocoa
Cherry Filling
  • 30 oz Sour cherries canned and drained, reserve juice
  • 0.5 cup Kirschwasser Cherry brandy

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 8-inch pans with parchment lining.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients, then add eggs, milk, and oil, beating for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in boiling water by hand and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  4. Reduce reserved cherry juice with sugar, then add Kirsch to create the soak.
  5. Whip cold heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
  6. Assemble by soaking sponge with syrup, adding a cream layer, and topping with cherries.

Notes

Always use cold heavy cream for the best stability. If you're in a warm climate, use a stabilizer like whip-it or gelatin.