Black Forest Cake With Cherries
**This recipe was featured as part of our 2020 Virtual New Release Wine & Food Pairings.**
SUGGESTED WINES
Chambourcin 2019
The Chambourcin wine has dark fruit on the nose and a moderate tannin structure, which pairs well with dark chocolate. The wine has a red fruit character on the palate, which we have complimented by the addition of cherries between the layers.
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour (plus some for dusting cake pans)
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted (plus some for dusting cake pans)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk room temperature
1 cup hot water
2 tsp vanilla
Cherry Liqueur Syrup
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup cherry liqueur
Whipped Cream Frosting
4 cups whipping cream
2 Tbs powdered sugar, sifted
Chocolate Bark (optional – adds extra chocolate richness)
½ Lb good quality dark chocolate chopped
Assembly
2½ cups fresh cherries pitted and cut in half
…or use 6 oz dried cherries: coarsely chopped, mix with 1 cup water in a bowl, microwave briefly, allow to sit until cherries soften slightly, drain off excess water.
2 bars dark chocolate for shavings. Shave using a potato peeler.
16 oz jar Maraschino cherries
DIRECTIONS
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8″ round baking pans with butter and dust with 50/50 mix of cocoa powder and flour.
- Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour hot water in very slowly as not to cook the eggs).
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. (I use a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.)
- Bake for 45 mins or until an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pans then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cherry Liqueur Syrup
- Drain the Maraschino cherries into a measuring cup. Add enough water to make ½ cup. Add ½ cup sugar. Stir and bring to a boil in a small sauce pan. Simmer for 1 min or until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat. Allow to partially cool.
- Stir in cherry liqueur and allow to cool completely.
Whipped Cream Frosting
Be sure that the whipping cream is cold. In a cold bowl, using cold beaters, whip cream and powdered sugar until attaining stiff peaks. Refrigerate.
Chocolate Bark
- Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in 20 second bursts in the microwave.
- Using a large spatula, spread melted chocolate in a thin layer on a large sheet of parchment paper.
- Roll up from the short side of the parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze until firm.
- Unroll to create chocolate bark.
Assembly
- Cut each cake layer in half horizontally, creating four thin slices.
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Generously brush the top of each layer of cake with cherry syrup.
- Top first layer with approximately 1 cup whipped cream frosting and spread evenly. Spread 1/3 of the cherries and gently press them into the whipped cream. Repeat with remaining layers, with no cherries on the top layer. Frost the outside of the cake.
- Decorate with chocolate bark, chocolate shavings, and whole maraschino cherries.
Leave A Comment