Dark Chocolate Cherry Cake – A Moist Black Forest Cake
What comes to mind when you think of the perfect cake? A meringue cake? An entremet? For me the answer is simple – I will always choose a cake with a moist sponge. I adore moist chocolate sponges and could use them in countless combinations. And since I love making the most of seasonal fruit, today it’s time to enjoy the sweet-sour taste of sour cherries in a Black Forest-style cake.
Text and photos by Ana Maria Vlaicu – Pastry Workshop intern.
Black Forest cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte) is one of Germany’s most popular desserts. It is named after the Black Forest region, home of Kirschwasser, the cherry brandy that gives the cake its distinctive aroma. If you can’t find kirsch, use any fruit liqueur – and for a cake for children, use sour cherry syrup instead.
I’ve often seen this cake made in pastry shops with candied cherries, but I don’t like them: they taste artificial, they’re very sweet and sticky. Whenever I make this dessert I use fresh sour cherries, with their lovely sweet-sour flavour.
Dark Chocolate Cherry Cake (Black Forest Style)
Ingredients
Chocolate sponge
- 250 g plain flour
- 400 g sugar
- 65 g cocoa powder
- 10 g baking soda
- 5 g baking powder
- 5 g salt
- 5 g ground coffee
- 100 g vegetable oil
- 240 g buttermilk
- 250 g water (hot)
- 2 eggs
- 10 g vanilla extract
Whipped cream
- 700 g whipping cream (cold)
- 150 g powdered sugar
Cherry liqueur syrup
- 100 g water
- 50 g sugar
- 35 g cherry liqueur or kirsch
Decoration
- 300 g sour cherries (pitted)
- 200 g chocolate
Instructions
Chocolate sponge
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F) and line three 20cm tins with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and coffee).
- In another bowl, mix the oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla on low speed until combined.
- Reduce the speed and gradually add the hot water, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix for 2–3 minutes. The batter will be very thin.
- Divide between the three tins.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Syrup
- Heat the sugar and water over low heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the cherry liqueur, stir and leave to cool.
Whipped cream
- Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar on medium speed until it holds its shape.
Decoration
- Pit the cherries.
- Melt the chopped chocolate in the microwave, stirring until it cools to about 30°C (86°F). Spread it thinly on baking paper and chill for 20 minutes.
- Peel the chocolate off the paper and break it into shards for decorating.
Assembly
- Place the first sponge on a serving plate and brush it with syrup.
- Cover with a third of the whipped cream and spread evenly.
- Scatter pitted cherries over the cream and press them in gently.
- Add the second sponge and repeat.
- Once all three layers are assembled, smooth the excess cream on the sides and decorate with chocolate shards and cherries.
More chocolate cakes: dark chocolate red velvet cake and the Concorde cake.
Want to bake like a pro? Learn professional layered cakes step by step with our online courses and ebooks – from Red Velvet to Caramel Carrot Cake. Browse the courses →
