Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake is a three-layer chocolate cake filled with cherries, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. The magic is in balancing the deep chocolate flavor with bright cherry and the airiness of whipped cream. Baking the layers thin, cooling them completely, and chilling the assembled cake before serving keeps everything stable and lets the flavors settle.

Ingredients for Black Forest Cake

All-purpose flour gives the cake structure without making it dense. Cocoa powder brings deep chocolate flavor without extra fat. Butter and eggs at room temperature mix into a light, even batter. Granulated sugar sweetens and helps the cake rise. Baking powder and baking soda create lift. Salt sharpens the chocolate taste. Hot water blooms the cocoa and makes the batter silky. Vanilla extract rounds out the chocolate. Heavy cream whips into clouds for filling and topping. Powdered sugar sweetens the whipped cream without graininess. Cherry preserves provide tartness and moisture between layers. Sour cherry juice soaks the cake layers and adds brightness. Dark chocolate becomes shavings for garnish.

Why This Black Forest Cake Works

The cake layers are thin and tender because the batter is mixed just until combined, which keeps gluten development low. Cocoa powder bloomed in hot water releases its flavor fully and creates a silky crumb. The layers soak up cherry juice, which keeps them moist even after chilling.

Whipped cream stabilized with powdered sugar holds its shape longer than plain whipped cream, so the cake stays presentable as you serve it. The cherries and cream sit between layers and on top, where they stay visible and their flavors stay distinct. Chilling the assembled cake for several hours lets everything set and makes slicing clean.

Mistakes To Avoid

Overmixing the batter after adding flour toughens the cake. Mix only until the flour streaks disappear and you see no white pockets. The batter should look slightly shaggy and come together as you fold in the last bit of flour.

Cutting the cake layers while they are still warm causes them to tear and crumble. Cool them completely on a rack, then refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes before slicing horizontally into two thin layers.

Skipping the cherry juice soak leaves the cake dry and one-dimensional. The juice keeps the layers moist and brings the whole dish into balance with the cream and chocolate.

Assembling the cake and serving it immediately makes the layers slide apart because the cream hasn’t set. Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 4 hours, or overnight, so the cream firms and holds everything in place.

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Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (75 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (115 grams) butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 2 cups heavy cream, cold
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cherry preserves
• 1/2 cup sour cherry juice
• 3 ounces dark chocolate, for shavings
• Fresh or canned pitted cherries for topping (optional)

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition, then add the vanilla extract and beat for 20 seconds.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the hot water in two additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix each addition just until combined, with no white flour streaks visible. Do not overmix.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops.
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The cake should spring back lightly when touched in the center.
8. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks and cool completely, about 1 hour.
9. Once cooled, place each cake on a work surface. Using a serrated knife, mark the sides at the halfway point, then slowly cut each layer horizontally into two thin layers, using a gentle sawing motion.
10. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cake board and brush it with one quarter of the cherry juice. Spread one quarter of the cherry preserves over the layer.
11. In a large bowl, whip the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until stiff peaks form.
12. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the preserves, then top with the second cake layer. Brush it with another quarter of the cherry juice and preserves, then add another layer of whipped cream.
13. Repeat with the third cake layer, juice, preserves, and whipped cream. Top with the fourth cake layer, brush with the remaining cherry juice, and spread the remaining whipped cream on top and around the sides.
14. Make chocolate shavings by dragging a vegetable peeler along the edge of a room-temperature dark chocolate bar, allowing shavings to fall onto the top and sides of the cake.
15. Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before serving.