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Black Forest Cake
in Guest Recipe Book
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Average Rating:
 
(total ratings: 8) [Read reviews] [Post a review] |
| Servings: 8-10 |
| Comments: History of Black Forest Cake Black Forest gateau (also commonly called Black Forest cake in the USA and Australia) is the English name for the southern German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (literally "Black Forest Cherry Cake"). It originated in the Black Forest region of southern Germany, but it is a popular dessert throughout Germany, Austria, and the world. Typically, Black Forest gateau consists of several layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and cherries between each layer. These layers are topped with additional whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. In some European traditions sour cherries are used both between the layers and for decorating the top. Traditionally, the cake is saturated with Kirschwasser (cherry brandy), although other liquors are also used (rum is common in Austrian recipes). In the USA, Black Forest gateau is most often prepared without alcohol. *Note: A filling of cherries and kirsch-flavored whipped cream is standard in this classic German cake. To poach the cherries, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 3/4 cups water and 1/3 cup granulated sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup fresh pitted Bing or other dark sweet cherries, reduce the heat to low and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Let the cherries cool, then drain; discard the syrup. Frozen or jarred cherries may also be used. Cook the frozen cherries as directed above. Jarred cherries have already been poached. |
Ingredients:  For the Cake: 1/2 cup cake flour 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder 6 eggs, at room temperature 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3/4 cup granulated sugar 8 tbsp. (1 stick/4 oz./113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature For the Sugar Syrup: 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup water For the Filling and Frosting: 2 1/2 cups heavy cream 2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar (icing sugar or powdered sugar) 1 tsp. kirsch (cherry liqueur, cherry brandy or plain brandy may be used) Poached cherries* (see note above) Semisweet (plain) chocolate curls |
| Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line the bottom of a 9 x 3-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. To Make the Cake: Sift together the flour and cocoa powder onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, vanilla and granulated sugar on high speed until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture in 2 additions and carefully fold in with a large rubber spatula. Fold a large dollop into the melted butter, then fold back into the egg mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is puffed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. To Make the Sugar Syrup: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. To Make the Filling and Frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream and confectioners' sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. In a small bowl, combine the kirsch and the sugar syrup. Run a table knife around the edge of the pan and unmold the cake onto a work surface. Turn the cake right side up, leaving the parchment paper in place. Cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Put the top layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Brush with some of the syrup, then spread with about one-fourth of the whipped cream. Strew the cherries over the cream (reserve 1 cherry for garnish), leaving a 1/2-inch border of cream around the edge. Position the middle cake layer on the cream. Brush with some of the syrup and spread with another one-fourth of the cream. Position the third cake layer, cut side down, on the cream and peel off the parchment paper. Brush with the remaining syrup. Spread the remaining whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake. Press the chocolate curls onto the top of the cake. Put the reserved cherry in the middle. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Makes 8-10 servings. |
| Date: February 7, 2009 |
Reviews
Reviewer: Kiely
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
Reviewer: cindy
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Hi
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Hi
Just made your Black Forest Cake recipe for my partners birthday, so haven't tried it yet. But what a fun little recipe. Pots everywhere, dishes i'll have to do later. Yes, like other reviews I did have some problems, none of which are the fault of the recipe. My mix master is about to die so it actually took me one hour and 15 minutes before the eggs were to an o.k standard, which was a bit lucky, because I only had two cake tins. But can I say, thanks for this recipe. I have learned a few things along the way, like the gelatin in the cream. I have never done this before, but I'll keep it up my sleeve. I know it will come in handy when I least expect it. Thanks again.
Reviewer: Nguyen Huyen
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Thank you.Your recipes helped me very much.They're beautiful.I love them and thank you so much.
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Thank you.Your recipes helped me very much.They're beautiful.I love them and thank you so much.
Reviewer: Zeph
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The cake turned out to be too thin to make layers. Maybe because I used All-purpose flour, but I made the substitution by removing 1TB of flour. It's going to have to be damage control now. My sisters birthday is today and this is quite the problem.
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The cake turned out to be too thin to make layers. Maybe because I used All-purpose flour, but I made the substitution by removing 1TB of flour. It's going to have to be damage control now. My sisters birthday is today and this is quite the problem.
Reviewer: Zeph
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Another review after the damage control. I made another cake and put it on top to make the layers, and some other changes, but all in all it was very much loved and the cake cut real nicely as well. It was quite the success :) Thank you!
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Another review after the damage control. I made another cake and put it on top to make the layers, and some other changes, but all in all it was very much loved and the cake cut real nicely as well. It was quite the success :) Thank you!
Reviewer: trisha
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Reviewer: Leah
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Okay... I normally don't follow recipes but I'm not much of a baker so I decided to be a stickler with this one as it is the cake for my son's birthday. Maybe it would have turned out better if I hadn't followed the directions.... I used Swan's Down cake flour; it did not rise. The cake is ONE layer, about frisbee height, dense as clay. The whipped cream turned from "soft peaks" to "brick-laying mortar" in the fourteen magical seconds that it took me to put in the sugar, vanilla and cocoa. When I tried to frost the cake, the whip pulled up the surface of the cake. Yes, the cake had cooled. I'm just a baking debutante but I am literate and therefore, can follow directions exactly. We haven't yet eaten it so I may add another review if warranted. *sigh*
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Okay... I normally don't follow recipes but I'm not much of a baker so I decided to be a stickler with this one as it is the cake for my son's birthday. Maybe it would have turned out better if I hadn't followed the directions.... I used Swan's Down cake flour; it did not rise. The cake is ONE layer, about frisbee height, dense as clay. The whipped cream turned from "soft peaks" to "brick-laying mortar" in the fourteen magical seconds that it took me to put in the sugar, vanilla and cocoa. When I tried to frost the cake, the whip pulled up the surface of the cake. Yes, the cake had cooled. I'm just a baking debutante but I am literate and therefore, can follow directions exactly. We haven't yet eaten it so I may add another review if warranted. *sigh*
Reviewer: Jason
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I make this kind of cake every once in a while and I never use the electric mixers. That not only helps me control how well the eggs are beaten, it makes me feel worth doing all the job when I eat it. And it doesn't take much time at all for me to do it by hand. This recipe is perfect for me. By the way, one possible reason to a thin cake could be the under beaten egg whites. When doing by hand, due to the lower speed, sugar is to be added into three separate times, thus putting in more air, helping the cake rise.
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I make this kind of cake every once in a while and I never use the electric mixers. That not only helps me control how well the eggs are beaten, it makes me feel worth doing all the job when I eat it. And it doesn't take much time at all for me to do it by hand. This recipe is perfect for me. By the way, one possible reason to a thin cake could be the under beaten egg whites. When doing by hand, due to the lower speed, sugar is to be added into three separate times, thus putting in more air, helping the cake rise.