Diana's Desserts - www.dianasdesserts.com
See more recipes in Holidays and Celebrations 
Elegant Black Forest Cake
in Diana's Recipe Book
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Average Rating:
 
(total ratings: 15) |
| 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. Source: wikipedia.org |
Ingredients:  For The Cake: 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into bits 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick/3 oz/85g) unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract l/3 cup water 6 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup cake flour 1/2 teaspoon salt For The Filling: 2 pounds canned sour cherries, drained, reserving the juice l/3 cup granulated sugar 5 teaspoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons Kirsch (cherry liqueur or brandy) For The Syrup: 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 water l/4 cup Kirsch (cherry liqueur or brandy) For The Chocolate Whipped Cream Topping: l envelope (1/4 oz./7g) unflavored gelatin 3 tablespoons Kirsch (cherry liqueur or brandy) 3 cups well-chilled heavy cream 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup sifted confectioners' sugar l teaspoon vanilla extract For Garnish: 1-1/2 cups chocolate shavings or chocolate curls Glaceed or Maraschino cherries |
| Instructions: To Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Butter three 7-inch cake pans, line them with wax paper and butter and flour the paper. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water melt the chocolate with the butter, vanilla and water, stirring until smooth. Remove the pan from heat. Into a bowl sift together the flour and salt. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the eggs with the sugar for 5 to 10 minutes, or until batter ribbons when beaters are lifted. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined and fold in chocolate mixture gently but thoroughly. Pour batter into pans, smoothing the tops, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of pans and invert onto racks to cool completely. To Make the Filling: In a saucepan combine reserved cherry juice, sugar and cornstarch. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, and simmer, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in cherries and kirsch, transfer to a bowl and let cool. Filling may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. To Make the Syrup: In a saucepan combine the sugar and water, bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and stir in Kirsch. Let cool. To Make the Whipped Cream Topping: In small saucepan combine gelatin and Kirsch and let soften 5 minutes. Gently heat mixture over low heat, stirring, until liquid is clear. Remove from heat. In chilled bowl with chilled beaters beat cream until it holds soft peaks, add sugar, cocoa, and vanilla and beat until it holds stiff peaks. Add gelatin mixture in stream, beating, and beat until it holds stiff peaks. Assembling the Cake: Invert one layer of cake onto a cardboard round, brush with some of syrup and spread half cherry filling over it. Spread 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream over cherries, sprinkle with 1/4 cup chocolate shavings and invert second layer of genoise onto cake. Brush with syrup, spread with remaining cherry filling and top with 1 1/2 cups whipped cream, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of chocolate shavings and invert third genoise layer onto cake. Brush top with syrup and spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake reserving about 2/3 cup for garnish. Transfer remaining whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe rosettes decoratively around top and bottom edge of cake and top the rosettes (on top edges of cake) with glaceed cherries. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining chocolate shavings and let cake stand, covered and chilled, for at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours. Store cake in refrigerator. Makes 8 to 10 servings. |
| Source: DianasDesserts.com |
| Date: July 6, 2002 |
Reviews
Reviewer: Gari
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Very good recipe but the bit about making Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte without alcohol prompts me to say: "You can make steaks without meat too but they just aint the real thing"
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Very good recipe but the bit about making Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte without alcohol prompts me to say: "You can make steaks without meat too but they just aint the real thing"
Gari the Swiss gourmet who'd like to print your recipe (with credits and link of course) in his http://culinary.senses.com
Reviewer: Peach
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I just made the cake.. I am so frustrated. The filling and whipped cream is leaking from between layers and the whole thing looks terrible. I stuck it back in the fridge and hope to be able to finish it a little later. I am not sure where I went wrong, cause whipped cream is really stiff and not runny at all. I am also worried that the cake itself did not rise at all (I didn't use cake flour but regular all purpose flour) so not sure what it's going to taste like.. The layers are kinda thin. One question - is the cake supposed to be topped with whipped cream with or without the cocoa added?
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I just made the cake.. I am so frustrated. The filling and whipped cream is leaking from between layers and the whole thing looks terrible. I stuck it back in the fridge and hope to be able to finish it a little later. I am not sure where I went wrong, cause whipped cream is really stiff and not runny at all. I am also worried that the cake itself did not rise at all (I didn't use cake flour but regular all purpose flour) so not sure what it's going to taste like.. The layers are kinda thin. One question - is the cake supposed to be topped with whipped cream with or without the cocoa added?
Thanks
Reviewer: Diana, Diana's Desserts
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Hi Peach, To answer your question, yes the cocoa should be added to the whipped cream topping......Diana, Diana's Desserts
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Hi Peach, To answer your question, yes the cocoa should be added to the whipped cream topping......Diana, Diana's Desserts
Reviewer: Diana, Diana's Desserts
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Hello Louise-Mary,
I hope I can answer your questions so you understand the recipe.
One envelope of unflavored gelatine (here in the USA we usually use Knox Brand Unflavored Gelatine) contains 7 grams or 1/4 ounce of unflavored gelatine.
Cake Flour contains less gluten than all-purpose flour (plain flour) and produces a more tender texture.
Though results won't be the same, in an emergency, you can substitute 7/8 cup of all-purpose flour (plain flour) for one cup of cake flour.
Self-Raising (or self-rising) Cake Flour contains baking powder and a pinch of salt. Plain Cake Flour does not contain these ingredients.
If you only have Self-Raising cake flour and not plain cake flour (without the added baking soda and salt), then I would recommend substituting the cake flour in this recipe with 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons plain flour (all-purpose flour) for 1 cup of cake flour.
I hope this information helps you out.....Diana, Diana's Desserts
Reviewer: louise-Mary
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I NEED to know what cake flour is.. i need to know what an envelope of gelatin is.. i need to know how anybody could get this cake to work!!! i live in australia and we have self raising flour is this cake flour...i need to know!!!
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I NEED to know what cake flour is.. i need to know what an envelope of gelatin is.. i need to know how anybody could get this cake to work!!! i live in australia and we have self raising flour is this cake flour...i need to know!!!
Reviewer: parkeman
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This is my wifes favorite cake, so I used this recipe to make it for her birthday. The cake turned out great, although I was unable to duplicate the fancy decorations like in the photo. I was a little conservative with the syrup because I was afraid the cake would become soggy, but it didn't. So next time I know to add more. Most importantly, it made the wife very happy. This may be my new secret weapon for getting out of trouble. Thanks Diana http://www.flickr.com/photos/parkerman/2379569556/
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This is my wifes favorite cake, so I used this recipe to make it for her birthday. The cake turned out great, although I was unable to duplicate the fancy decorations like in the photo. I was a little conservative with the syrup because I was afraid the cake would become soggy, but it didn't. So next time I know to add more. Most importantly, it made the wife very happy. This may be my new secret weapon for getting out of trouble. Thanks Diana http://www.flickr.com/photos/parkerman/2379569556/
Reviewer: Cocoa
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This recipe is not working at all. The cake layers are extremely thin and difficult to work with. I followed the recipe exactly.. I don't know what I could have done wrong. Why didn't the layers rise?
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This recipe is not working at all. The cake layers are extremely thin and difficult to work with. I followed the recipe exactly.. I don't know what I could have done wrong. Why didn't the layers rise?
Reviewer: Betty
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Question: The cake I used to get in the German bakeries had the gelatin cream layer as in this recipe, but it was white, not chocolate. Do I need to make any adjustments, or can I just leave out the chocolate?
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Question: The cake I used to get in the German bakeries had the gelatin cream layer as in this recipe, but it was white, not chocolate. Do I need to make any adjustments, or can I just leave out the chocolate?
If people are having so much trouble with the chocolate cake, why not just use a devil's food mix? With the Kirschwasser, you probably wouldn't notice the difference!
I used to assemble the cake in a springform pan. That way it would stay stable until the gelatin has the chance to stiffen up in the refrigerator. I then took it out of the pan to add the whipped cream topping and garnish.
Reviewer: Diana
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Hi Betty, Yes, you can just leave out the cocoa for the topping if you want a plain whipped cream topping, not a chocolate whipped cream topping.......Diana, Diana's Desserts
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Hi Betty, Yes, you can just leave out the cocoa for the topping if you want a plain whipped cream topping, not a chocolate whipped cream topping.......Diana, Diana's Desserts
Reviewer: Ingrid
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Louise-Mary, I live in Australia (Vic) and I found cake flour in SAFEWAY in the flour section. Our SAFEWAY also has unflavoured gelatin - otherwise any good health store will sell it. I loved this cake. Tell me how you go.
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Louise-Mary, I live in Australia (Vic) and I found cake flour in SAFEWAY in the flour section. Our SAFEWAY also has unflavoured gelatin - otherwise any good health store will sell it. I loved this cake. Tell me how you go.
Reviewer: ChaCha Lynne
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Very yummy and delicious!!!!!!!
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Very yummy and delicious!!!!!!!
Reviewer: Bikky
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I have searched for several recipes online to get the most accurate and moist (really moist) black forest cake. I think I have found it here! Most of the ckaes dont have any liquid added and it tastes very dry with lumps of frosting. Im planing to go with a plain whipped cream frosting with cherries and chocolate shavings on top.
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I have searched for several recipes online to get the most accurate and moist (really moist) black forest cake. I think I have found it here! Most of the ckaes dont have any liquid added and it tastes very dry with lumps of frosting. Im planing to go with a plain whipped cream frosting with cherries and chocolate shavings on top.
Reviewer: anonymous
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I tried to make the cake part with regular flour, and forgot that it won't rise. I then made it again with cake flour, and again it wouldn't rise... so I am not too impressed with the cake batter, the rest turned out great!
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I tried to make the cake part with regular flour, and forgot that it won't rise. I then made it again with cake flour, and again it wouldn't rise... so I am not too impressed with the cake batter, the rest turned out great!
Reviewer: Edwin R Fajardo
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The recipe for the topping requires confectioner's sugar to be added to the cream. Doing this, the cream became watery and similar to butter. Do you have any idea why this happened and how to fix it?
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The recipe for the topping requires confectioner's sugar to be added to the cream. Doing this, the cream became watery and similar to butter. Do you have any idea why this happened and how to fix it?
Reviewer: Ashwini
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The cake is very tasty and moist but did not rise very well. For this, I added about 1/4 tsp. of baking powder and a pinch of baking soda and that worked well. Overall a tasty cake!!
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The cake is very tasty and moist but did not rise very well. For this, I added about 1/4 tsp. of baking powder and a pinch of baking soda and that worked well. Overall a tasty cake!!