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Black Forest Cake

This stunning black forest cake has 3 layers of moist chocolate cake with sour cherry filling and sweet whipped cream frosting in each layer and on top. The sides of the cake are decorated with cake crumbles for a gorgeous gateau fit for any special occasion!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine central europe
Servings 12 people
Calories 1867.7 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Electric Mixer (stand or hand-held)
  • 2 9-inch Round Cake Pans
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 2-quart saucepan
  • 1 Long Serrated Knife (for splitting cake layers)

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 ⅛ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 20 ounce cans pitted sour cherries
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ⅓ cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions
 

  • Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper. Place a medium bowl in the refrigerator to chill before using it to whip the cream. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat until combined. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Pour cake batter into the prepared pans. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a paring knife around edges to loosen and invert carefully onto racks to cool completely, 1 to 2 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • While cake layers bake, drain cherries for topping, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a 2-quart saucepan. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until thickened. Stir in vanilla. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely before assembling cake. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • To make the frosting: Combine whipping cream and confectioners' sugar in the chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Split each cake layer in half horizontally using a long serrated knife. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Tear one layer into crumbs; set aside. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Gently brush loose crumbs off top and sides of remaining layers using a pastry brush or your hands. Reserve 1 ½ cups of frosting for piping decorations on cake; set aside. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of frosting and cherry topping. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Top with third cake layer and frost sides of cake. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Pat reserved cake crumbs onto sides of cake. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Spoon reserved 1 ½ cups frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a star decorator tip. Pipe around top and bottom edges of cake. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Spoon remaining cherry topping on top of cake. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy! Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

For optimal cake texture, ensure all cold ingredients like eggs and milk are at room temperature before mixing the batter. Do not overmix the batter after adding wet ingredients; beat only until just combined to keep the cake tender. For the whipped cream, chilling your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before whipping will significantly help achieve stiff peaks and prevent over-whipping. To elevate the traditional flavor, consider brushing the cooled cake layers with a light simple syrup or a splash of kirschwasser (cherry brandy), if suitable. A cake leveler ensures perfectly even layers for a professional presentation. Finish with dark chocolate shavings for an exquisite garnish.