Black Forest Cherry Cake
Experience a slice of joy with this easy yet decadent Black Forest Cherry Cake, layered with chocolate cake, light whipped cream, and boozy cherries.
Servings 12 servings
Calories 500kcal
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups All-purpose flour Be sure to spoon and level for an accurate measure.
- 3/4 cups Unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-process gives a super deep chocolate flavor.
- 2 tsp Baking powder Leavens the cake so it’s fluffy.
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt Sharpens all flavors.
- 2 cups Granulated sugar Keeps things sweet without overpowering the cherries.
- 1/2 cups Vegetable oil Makes it extra moist.
- 2 large Eggs For structure and richness.
- 1 cups Buttermilk Adds tang, can be substituted with milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract Real vanilla is preferred.
- 1 cups Hot coffee or water Coffee deepens the chocolate.
- 2 cups Cherries, pitted Fresh in summer, canned for the rest of the year.
- 1/2 cups Sugar for cherries Sweetens the tartness.
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch Thickens the cherry filling.
- 3 tbsp Water Used to make the cornstarch slurry.
- 1 tbsp Kirsch (cherry liqueur) Optional; adds cherry flavor.
- 2 1/2 cups Heavy whipping cream Cold is key for whipped cream.
- 1/2 cups Powdered sugar Sweetens and stabilizes whipped cream.
- 1 cups Chocolate shavings Dark chocolate works best.
- 1/2 cups Heavy cream (for ganache)
- 100 g Dark chocolate, chopped For ganache drip.
Toppings
- to taste Chocolate curls or whole cherries Optional garnish.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease three 8-inch round cake pans.
- Prepare the pans with parchment lining.
Mixing Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla, and beat until just combined.
- Slowly pour in hot coffee or water until batter is smooth.
Baking
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 25–30 minutes.
- Cool completely before removing from pans.
Cherry Filling
- Simmer cherries and sugar on the stovetop until juicy.
- Make a slurry with cornstarch and water, stir it in, and cook until thick.
- Stir in Kirsch if desired and let cool.
Whipped Cream
- Whip the cold heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
Ganache Drip
- Heat cream until steaming, pour over chopped dark chocolate, and stir until smooth.
Assembling the Cake
- Place one cake layer on your serving plate, brush with cherry syrup, spread whipped cream, and spoon cherry filling.
- Repeat with the second layer and top with the final cake layer.
- Cover the cake with whipped cream and pipe swirls around the edge.
- Top each swirl with a cherry and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.
- Finish with a gentle ganache drip along the edges.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, assemble fresh on the day of serving.
