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This Black Forest Cake is my version of the famous German chocolate cake, aka “Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte.” It has 4 chocolatey layers, 1 lb of kirsch-infused cherries and a light whipped cream.
It is a stunning and decadent cake but it’s fairly simple to make with just 11 ingredients (which is peanuts for a cake!). The chocolate shavings make this Black Forest cake very forgiving in terms of decoration for those of us who are cake styling impaired :).
This black forest cake is an adult cake as it has kirsch (a cherry liqueur) and isn’t overly sweet. The kirsch is not overpowering but you can tell it’s there. I figured if you slice it into 12 generous pieces, each would have 1 tsp of kirsch. If making this cake for children, omit the kirsch and add a 1 Tbsp sugar to the cherry syrup for more flavor.
*Recipe Tips: You can use thawed frozen cherries or canned cherries. If using canned cherries, select cherries in water or juice, omit the 1/4 cup additional water and use the juice from the can instead. Also, maraschino cherries can be used for the topping/decor. A golden rum would taste good too, but kirsch is more authentic. Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure correctly!
*Note:
Recipe for the Black Forest Cake updated 4/22/16 to be more fail proof. Several of you mentioned your cakes did not rise as much as mine. I heard you and re-baked the cake. After some testing, I noticed the best results when increasing the mixing time to 8 minutes (rather than 5) and using 4 Tbsp butter (rather than 8). It rose beautifully and perfectly. Enjoy!
Ingredients for Chocolate Cake Layers:
9 large eggs, room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour *measured correctly
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled (not hot)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
What you’ll need:
Two 9″ cake pans and flour sifter or fine sieve
Ingredients For the Filling:
4 cups (1 lb) bing cherries, pitted, plus 12 whole cherries for decor (If not in season, see *Recipe Tips)
3 Tbsp kirsch (a cherry liqueur)
1/4 cup cold water
For the Frosting/Topping:
3 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup Confectioners sugar
1 Tbsp kirsch (cherry liqueur)
4 oz good quality dark chocolate
How to Make Black Forest Cake Layers:
If you’ve never made a European Sponge Cake, watch the video before you get started to see what the batter should look like.
Prep: Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line the bottom of two 9″ round pans with parchment paper (don’t grease sides).
1. Beat 9 large eggs with the whisk attachment for 1 min on high speed. With the mixer on, gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue beating on high speed a full 8 min. It will be thick and fluffy.
Tip from reader, Hilda: “How do you know u get the right consistency? Lift up your beater (whisk) from the batter. Make a figure “8” using the batter that drip off the beater. Then count to 10 seconds. If the figure 8 still remains on top of the batter, then u have the right consistency. If the figure 8 sinks into the batter before 10 secs, then u need to beat it longer.”
Tip: the mixture it should fall off the whisk and still ‘stand up’ on the cake mixture
2. Whisk together 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup cocoa powder and sift in thirds into the batter, folding with a spatula between each addition. Once all flour is in, continue to fold just until no streaks of flour remain, scraping the bottom of the bowl to get any pockets of flour hiding at the bottom; do not over-mix or you will deflate the batter.
3. Gently fold in 1/2 tsp vanilla and room temp butter, folding as you add butter in a steady stream and scraping from the bottom to make sure you don’t have butter pooling at the bottom. Fold just until incorporated. Divide batter equally between two prepared cake pans and BAKE RIGHT AWAY in fully preheated oven at 350˚F for 20-25 minutes (my oven took 22 min), or until a toothpick comes out clean. Note: Once the butter is added, it must be transferred to baking pans and put into the oven immediately or the batter can deflate quickly.
4. Let cool in pans for 10 min then run a knife or thin edged spatula around the edges to loosen cake. Transfer to a wire rack and remove parchment backing. When cakes are at room temp, and you’re ready to assemble, slice cake layers in half with a long serrated knife.
Making the Syrup for Black Forest Cake:
1. Roughly chop pitted cherries and place in a medium bowl with 3 Tbsp kirsch. Let sit at room temp for at least 30 min, stirring a couple times, then drain cherries in a sieve over a bowl. Keep the cherries and syrup. Add 1/4 cup cold filtered water to the syrup to get about 3/4 cup total syrup.
Making the Cream:
For best results freeze bowl and whisk attachment 15 min before using.
1. Beat 3 1/2 cups heavy cream with whisk attachment on high speed until soft peaks form, add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp kirsch and beat on high until stiff and spreadable (1-2 min). Refrigerate until ready to use (tip: keep whisk attachment in the bowl – you can whip it another 30 seconds if it seems slightly loose after refrigeration).
Assembling your Black Forest Cake:
1. Place first cake layer on a cake stand and brush with 1/4 of the syrup. Cover the top with about 3/4 cup frosting (3 ice cream scoops’ worth) and top with 1/3 of the chopped cherries. Repeat with remaining layers and top with the flattest layer. Transfer 1 1/2 cups frosting to a pastry bag with a large flower tip and refrigerate until ready to use (don’t handle the bag too much or the cream will soften). Fill the cracks along the sides of cake with frosting then frost the top and sides with remaining frosting.
2. To make chocolate shavings, you can either melt chocolate in the microwave, spread it thin over the back of a baking sheet with the help of a food scraper, then refrigerate a few minutes and use a food scraper to create bark-like shavings. This is the more authentic way. Alternatively, you can use a potato peeler to shave a chunk of chocolate, It will still be pretty but it won’t have the same “black forest cake” feel to it.
3. Cover sides and top of cake with chocolate shavings leaving a 1″ perimeter on top for piping frosting. Pipe rounds of frosting around the top of the cake and place a whole cherry over each one. Refrigerate cake for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving for the flavors to meld.
Black Forest Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chocolate Cake Layers:
- 9 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled, not hot
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
What you'll need:
- Two 9" cake pans and flour sifter or fine sieve
Ingredients for Cherry Filling:
- 4 cups 1 lb bing cherries, pitted, plus 12 whole cherries for decor (see *Recipe Tips)
- 3 Tbsp kirsch, a cherry liqueur
- 1/4 cup cold water
For the Frosting/Topping:
- 3 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup Confectioners, powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp kirsch, cherry liqueur
- 3 oz good quality dark chocolate
Instructions
How to Make Cake Layers: Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line bottoms of cake pans with parchment (don't grease sides).
- Beat 9 eggs with the whisk attachment for 1 min on high. With the mixer on, gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue beating on high speed a full 8 min. It will be thick and fluffy. Tip: the mixture it should fall off the whisk and still ‘stand up’ on the cake mixture
- Whisk together 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup cocoa powder and sift in thirds into batter, folding with a spatula between each addition. Once all flour is in, continue to fold just until no streaks of flour remain, scraping the bottom of the bowl to get any pockets of flour; do not over-mix or you will deflate the batter.
- Gently fold in 1/2 tsp vanilla and room temp butter, folding as you add butter in a steady stream and scraping from the bottom to make sure you don't have butter pooling at the bottom. Fold just until incorporated. Divide batter equally between two prepared cake pans and BAKE RIGHT AWAY in fully preheated oven at 350˚F for 20-25 minutes (my oven took 22 min), or until a toothpick comes out clean. Note: Once the butter is added, it must be transferred to baking pans and put into the oven immediately or the batter can deflate quickly.
- Let cool in pans for 10 min then run a thin edged spatula around edges to loosen cake. Transfer to a wire rack and remove parchment backing. When cakes are at room temp, and you're ready to assemble, slice cake layers in half with a long serrated knife.
Making the Syrup:
- Roughly chop pitted cherries and place in a medium bowl with 3 Tbsp kirsch. Let sit at room temp for at least 30 min, stirring a couple times, then drain cherries in a sieve over a bowl. Keep the cherries and syrup. Add 1/4 cup cold filtered water to the syrup to get about 3/4 cup total syrup.
Making the Cream: For best results freeze bowl and whisk attachment 15 min before using.
- Beat 3 1/2 cups heavy cream with whisk attachment on high speed until soft peaks form, add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp kirsch and beat on high until stiff and spreadable (1-2 min). Refrigerate until ready to use (tip: keep whisk attachment in the bowl - you can re-whip if it seems slightly loose after refrigeration).
Assembling your Black Forest Cake:
- Place first cake layer on a cake stand and brush with 1/4 of the syrup. Cover top with about 3/4 cup frosting and top with 1/3 of the chopped cherries. Repeat with remaining layers and top with the flattest layer. Transfer 1 1/2 cups frosting to a pastry bag with a large flower tip and refrigerate until ready to use (don't handle the bag too much or the cream will soften). Fill the cracks along the sides of cake with frosting then frost the top and sides with remaining frosting.
- To make chocolate shavings, you can either melt chocolate in the microwave, spread it thin over the back of a baking sheet, then refrigerate a few min and use a food scraper to create bark-like shavings. This is the more authentic way. Alternatively, you can use a potato peeler to shave a chunk of chocolate.
- Cover sides and top of cake with chocolate shavings leaving a 1" perimeter on top for piping frosting. Pipe rounds of frosting around the top of the cake and place a whole cherry over each one. Refrigerate cake for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
♥ FAVORITE THINGS ♥
Shown in this post: (no one paid us to write this; just affiliate links for stuff we love):
*The lovely turquoise Fiesta Cake Plate with Server.
*The OXO strainer/sifter is totally multi-purpose!
* This OXO Cherry Pitter (works for olives too!)
*Ofcourse the “workhorse” of the kitchen: KitchenAid Pro 6Qt
*We sure enjoy our Wusthof knife block set. Great knives are essential.
Admit it, you want a slice! 🙂 What’s your favorite cherry dessert (besides this one of course)?
The biskvit recipe for this is terrible! Tried multiple times and deflated! Never attempting again
Hi Jen! I’m so sorry you’re having difficulty. Did you watch the video I attached in the post above? It shows the process of how to make this style of sponge cake. I would love to help troubleshoot. Can you tell me if your process looked differently than in the video? Did your egg mixture get thick and fluffy? Did fold in your dry ingredients gently not to deflate the batter?
I have two questions
1. In your video for sponge cake you add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder but there is no mention in the recipe for black forest cake. Is this correct
2. I don’t find that there is enough chocolate ( I use belgium pure Cocoa powder). Will it change the cooking if I add another quarter or half a cup more of chocolate?
Thank you.
Hi Lois. we don’t have a video yet for this recipe. The video I referenced is a traditional sponge cake so people can see the texture of the batter when it’s whipped properly that’s why the ingredients don’t match.
I would not recommend adding more cocoa powder. It will throw off the balance of wet/dry ingredients and affect the texture and end result.
Natasha,
Quick question: can I substitute cherries with strawberries? My son wants chocolate cake with strawberries :). Thank you. Tanya
Hi Tanya, a traditional Black forest cake comes with cherries, but you may try it with strawberries to see how you like it.
I’m using the batter to make cupcakes. Any tips??
Hi Sammie! Sponge cakes are not ideal for cupcakes because they will stick to the pan or liners and you lose a lot of the cupcake when you try to pry off the wrapper.
Hi Natasha would i be able to make this cake into 3,8 pans?
Hi Lydia! The cakes would be very thin. You likely need more batter.
Can I make the cherry slurry ahead and freeze it until it’s needed? Since I will be travelling with this cake, I’d like to make the cake layers and cherry slurry ahead of time and put it all together with the whipped cream topping once I get to my destination. I know I can freeze the cake layers but don’t know about the cherry mixture (won’t have kirsch in it).
Hello there! Yes, you can make the cherry slurry ahead and freeze it since you will be traveling. You can that it in the refrigerator overnight before using it.
I’ve made this five or six times. It’s fantastic. But I have issues with three things:
1. Mixing in the flour/chocolate takes me far longer than it should, because the eggs are so fluffy that they create air pockets of the flour. I ended up deflating the whole thing by about 40%. Not the end of the world. But what can I do to prevent these pockets of flour from not mixing?
2. The biggest issue is the step when the two cakes are to be put on cooling racks. Every single time after they’ve cooled the cake sticks to the rack, sometimes taking big chunks with it. The top is so soft and fluffy after the bake, unlike the bottom. Not sure how to avoid this issue.
3. Getting the chocolate on the outside. I throw it, but that makes for a messy kitchen. Also, it melt so fast it your hand that you really have to do it fast. Not ideal.
Any advice on these?
Hi Sam, sifting the flour in increments into the wet batter helps to prevent the pockets of flour. If you add too much of the flour mixture at once, it creates heavy pockets of flour that sink into the batter. It will naturally deflate as you fold and 40% doesn’t sound overly drastic to me. You can set them onto parchment to cool on the racks which will help reduce sticking. If you put the cake over a sheet of parchment or wax paper, you can use the paper to help contain the mess. Here’s a video from Betty Crocker that is helpful.
Making this for Easter. Since it is for kids, I will be skipping the liquor. Question- can I substitute 1 tbsp of vanilla for kirsch in the whipped cream ? Thanks
Hi Shay, yes that would work fine. I hope you love the recipe!
Natasha I have one last question. Will any cherry liqueur work or does it need to be Kirsch Cherry Liqueur? Unfortunately Kirsch Cherry Liqueur doesn’t seem to exist in the Los Angeles area. I’ve never used a liqueur in baking before, so I want to make sure any Cherry liqueur will work before going through the process.
Hi Robert! Another cherry liqueur will work too, just expect a slightly different taste. Most cherry liquors are sweeter than kirsch which is dry and usually has an higher alcohol content. Alternatively you could use try vodka/brandy and cherry juice mix as a homemade alternative.
Hi Natasha! I was just wondering about the dark chocolate. Does it need to be sweeten or unsweetened?
Hi Robert! The sweetness level depends on the percentage of cocoa you get. Any of them work well, the higher percentage will be more bitter.
Hi Natasha. I would like to add a stabilizer to the whipped cream. What do you suggest? Nonfat powdered milk or gelatin and how much for this recipe.
Thank you.
Hi Linda! Without testing that, I can’t say. I’ve seen gelatin used as a stabilizer and
I think it will work well. I would look up a recipe online to find those exact instructions.
Hi Natasha can i make this cake into a 3, 8 cake pan recipe also can i also make this an alcohol free cake.
Yes, that should be fine but with some minor adjustments since the cake may cook a bit faster. Check for doneness and check the cakes at around 25-28 minutes using a toothpick.
Nine eggs seem a bit too much for a chocolate cake base, and this cake could benefit from some leavening agents and salt. Maybe the egg prices are too high at the moment and the cake came out kind of dense due to that many eggs. The taste came out okay, but adding some instant coffee powder would really enhance the chocolate flavors. With that many eggs, beating the eggs to incorporate air shouldn’t be the main way of getting a fluffier yet structural cake.
Hi Leslie! This is a sponge cake which relies on eggs to create a light, airy texture and absorbs syrup well. When you beat eggs, they trap air, which acts as a natural leavening agent during baking. If your cake was flat and dense it’s likely due to not beating the eggs properly or over mixing when adding the flour causing the air pockets to collapse. Also, incorrect oven temperature can prevent the cake from setting fast enough. Be sure to fully preheat your oven. If you want a traditional cake, try my Chocolate Cake Recipe hete, it’s also eggless!
Followed this receipe last week, just came to! Was so delicious i died and went to heaven. God eventually black flagged me so i was fortunate enough to be able to leave rating on my way down under. Good day mates
The liquor made everything taste awful. Very disappointing. Would definitely either omit or use maybe cherry juice.
Hi Patty, did you possibly use too much of it? Normally it shouldn’t overpower the cake. You can use just juice if you prefer.
Kirsch is the traditional liqueur used in a Black Forest cake. Maybe you’ve never had an authentic one?