This is a great, basic Black Forest Cake. It’s easy to make because you just bake three 8 inch round cakes and stack the layers. I’ve made a few changes to the layering technique and no longer use the crumbs, so I’ll post a new photo soon.
Recipe
Black Forest Cake
Black Forest Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220 grams)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (380 grams)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (65 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola is fine)
- 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
- 1 can pitted sour cherries
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
Whipped Cream:
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans.
- Combine milk and vinegar to make sour milk; set aside.
- Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs, oil, coffee and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in the sour milk. Gradually beat in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pans. Place pans on center rack and place a cookie sheet on lower rack just in case there are spill-overs. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely before filling.
- To assemble, place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread with about 1 cup whipped cream; top with about 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of whipped cream and cherry topping. Top with third cake layer. Frost side of cake with remaining whipped cream.
- Filling: Drain cherries, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, sugar and cornstarch in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir 2 teaspoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool before using.
- Whipped Cream: Combine whipping cream and confectioner’s sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
giz
I think this is the first Black Forest cake without kirsch. Looks like an easy recipe and yummy to boot.
Lisa
Wow! That looks beautiful. It sounds really good especially with real whipped cream.
Maggi
Sacrebleu! Whipped topping?!? No, no… that just won’t do. Besides, it only takes a minute with a hand mixer to whip heavy cream.
But this recipe truly is timely… sour cherry season is just about to begin here in the northern-ish areas of the country, and this really is a perfect showcase for the fruit.
The Black Forest cake recipe I have been using for years comes from a book called, “A Piece of Cake”, author’s last name is Purdy. It was my father’s favorite as well, and well… now I am quite fond of it myself, as an adult.
Louise
Oh Anna! that cake looks indescribably delicious! I imagine your husband was one very happy man…
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Jill - GlossyVeneer
Black Forest Cake is my dad’s favorite cake. I usually try to make one for him on his birthday in July, or somewhere around then – when I get to visit him!
HeartofGlass21
When I was in my early teens, a restaurant I used to frequent with my mother served a Black Forest cake that I realize isn’t traditional, but I loved more than anything–rather than whipped cream, it used chocolate cream icing, almost like chocolate mousse in texture and taste which contrasted nicely with the dark chocolate-y ness of the cake, and the cherries on top were real rather than candied cherries, almost black in color. Then everything was covered in dark chocolate shavings. ‘Real black forest cake’ now tastes too sweet for me.
I love the idea of the cake, but I think it’s best when it’s played with, like you’re doing.
molls
y’all are cute and sweet. enjoy the cake! go dads.
VeggieGirl
stunning cake!