This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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)?
Thank you Natasha, cake is wonderful. I made gluten free using 1/2 cup of my G/F flour mix and 1/2 almond meal/flour.
So nice to hear that, Kerry. Thanks for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha,
Do you mix the flour/coco powder mixture with mixer or by hand?
Hi Sandra, usually a wisk will incorporate the dry ingredients with themselves best. I’m sure you could use your hands also.
Excellent recipe and directions, Natasha. Please add to your directions to use the professional 2” deep cake pans. I am not a baker and used old 1 1/2” pans. They are not deep enough for all this cake batter. Thanks!
Great tip! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Susan!
Hi, I really want to bake this cake but can’t seem to find the conversion into grams on this recipe?! I have on previous recipes. I live in UK and we don’t measure in cups. Thank you in advance 👍🏽
Hi Husna, this recipe does not have the Metric conversion yet but we already have it in our newer recipes. You may use this Weight Chart as a reference.
hi! i think i remember you my name is saja
I was surprised this cake calls for no baking powder or soda… unless I did it wrong, the cakes didn’t rise enough to cut into layers. Did I miss something?
Hi Blair, that’s right, this recipe does not call for baking powder or soda. The cake relies on the volume of the eggs and sugar to rise and make it fluffy so it is super important to beat those adequately with the right tools (per the recipe).
Oh no! I halved the recipe and added half the amount of baking powder from the basic sponge cake video. I hope it turns out okay. Crossing my fingers!!!
Hi, I made your basic Genoise for a trifle I was making and it worked beautifully. I also tried out the Strawberry Jello Cake and it was yum! Soft and light. Now I would like to make this Black Forest Cake but there seems to be a slight difference to this sponge, that is the addition of butter. I am afraid of changing a recipe that has worked well for me in the past. Will it be okay if I skip it? The cake is for my son’s birthday, and I don’t want to mess it up.
Hi Nasreen, I usually make this one with the butter but I think it would still work without it. Let me know if you experiment without the butter.
hey love your recipes am making this cake tomorrow
Thank you, Saja. Enjoy and I hope you like it!
Hi Natasha! I was wondering if I could substitute the cherry kirsch with cherry brandy instead? I’m not sure if this would make much of a difference but I wanted to clarify before I attempted to make the cake. Thank you for your recipe and time!
Hi Maya, I haven’t tested that but I think it would work fine. I hope you love the cake!
Hi Natasha, thank you for the recipe! I’m wondering if the cake part can be premade and placed in freezer say 1-2 days prior and then continue with the recipe?
Hi Caitlin, you can store this in the fridge or 1-2 days with great results. I haven’t tried freezing this particular cake but I’m not sure the frosting would hold up well in the freezer since it is just a whipped cream frosting. I think the cake layers would be freezer-friendly but probably not the assembled cake with the whipped cream.
Heyy natasha..first of all you are just amazing as a cook n a person in whole…thanks for making it look so easy all through…my question is can this recipe be used to bake cupcakes please let me know thanks much love xxx
Hi Suhela, 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.
Hello! I was wondering for the whipped cream, would only 1 1/4 cup of heavy cream be enough to cover the entire cake? I only have that much on hand and I want to make this for Mother’s Day! Is there any way to add more liquid (like milk) to the heavy cream to make more of it? Thanks in advance!
Hi Angelina, I can’t say for sure. It may have to be a super thin layer.
Hi Natasha
Our mixer recommends a max running time of 4 minutes and rest of 10-15 minutes. How can I achieve the desired effect of the 8 minutes mixing that you suggested?
Regards
jo
Hi Jo, Unless you have another high powered mixer, I’m not sure what to recommend. You run the risk of deflating if you wait 10-15 minutes and then continue beating.
I’d love to make this for my toddler’s birthday. How can I convert the chocolate sponge cake into 6inch?
Hi Nimmy, I haven’t tested it as a 6″ cake so you would have to estimate. If you click the “servings” part of the recipe card, it can help you scale the recipe up or down and give you a general idea.
Hi, is it okay if I use a substitute for egg like 1/4 cup of yoghurt for each egg called for in this recipe? Would that be okay? Because i’m trying to make an eggless Black Forest Cake for my parents. Thanks for this recipe, by the way!
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi, haven’t made a layer cake in years (I had to borrow pans).Great directions in your recipe. Unfortunately I struggled with frosting the cake with the whipped cream frosting. Any tips for putting the chocolate shavings on the sides without smearing the frosting everywhere? Thanks.
Hi Karen, I just grab a handful and press it in the sides, try not to move your hand back and forth and keep it steady. I hope that helps!
hi natasha, i was doing research of black forest cake recipes and i chose to try your version. one question though, if i don’t have a big enough bowl to mix all the ingredients together and decide to do it in 2 batch how would i handle the eggs? if i do 4 eggs each batch will it change the consistency of the cake too much? thank you in advance and i will let you know how it turns out when i make it for my husband’s birthday.
Hi Stephanie, that would work to divide the cake ingredients in half and beat them separately, but I would recommend baking the layers as they are done mixing and are ready to be poured into the cake pans. You will want to bake one layer at a time in your case and bake right away or it can deflate since the cake relies on the volume of the eggs and sugar to rise.
Yes i will mix and bake it separately but how do i divide the eggs?
And another thing about the butter, does it need to be fully at room temperature because the weather right now makes the butter cool and harden too quickly on the counter.
Hi Stephanie, I would lightly whisk one of the eggs and just divide it in half. It doesn’t have to be strictly precise but about half of an egg into each batch. Just make sure the butter is not warm (which can deflate the cake).
Thank you so much, I’ll let you know if i am successful and share a photo of it with as well.
I’m super bummed. I am making this for my husbands birthday and it is not turning out for me at all. My cakes usually turn out super moist and fluffy but not this one. The cake did not raise at all when baking. And when making the “cream” it isn’t thickening or becoming creamy. I have it in the fridge in hopes that I can save it but i doubt I can. I followed the instructions to the T and the results are so different, it’s unbelievable!
I’m so sorry to hear that Kim. This cake is highly favored by our readers. I am always happy to help troubleshoot. When making whipped cream, it is important not to over-whip or it will turn lumpy and buttery. If that happens, whip in some more cream and beat until stiff peaks form then stop beating. Regarding the cake, it is likely due to either under-beating the eggs and sugar or over-mixing after adding the butter (possibly adding the butter when it is too warm), or not baking right away after adding butter. Any of those things could cause the cake not to rise properly. I hope that helps!
Thank you for helping. It was most likely over-mixing when adding the flour mixture to the egg. I talked with a couple other friends and we noticed that this recipe doesn’t call for any baking soda or baking powder. Was that accidentally left off the recipe?
That is correct Kim, this cake does not require baking soda or baking powder. The eggs act as the leavening so it is critically important to make sure you beat the eggs long enough on high speed in a stand mixer and if using a good electric hand mixer, you should add 2-3 minutes of beating time since a stand mixer’s whip is more efficient. One of our readers explains this perfectly in the comments. “The entire point of a Genoise is that it gets its leavening from beaten eggs. That’s why there are no other leaveners in the recipe, i.e. baking powder” I hope this helps.
so if I don’t want to use kirsch i the cake what could
i replace it with?
Hi Shirley, If you want to omit the kirsch, just add a total of 1 Tbsp of sugar to the full amount of cherry syrup and stir to dissolve for a little more flavor.
By “full amount of cherry syrup”, do you mean 1/4 cup of water? The recipe states to add water to the syrup (referring to the drained kirsch). So, by omitting kirsch, technically you are left with just the 1/4 cup water, am I correct?
Hi Jillian yes that is correct but you would probably need a little more water or lemon juice to add more liquid or you might be short on liquid when soaking the cake.
Hi Natasha, thanks for the amazing recipe! My family and friends absolutely enjoyed the cake !
But I wander why you put syrup on bottom 3 layers and not the top layers? Is it because the cream won’t hold well?? Although everyone enjoyed it but I noticed the top layer was a little dry as it is the only layer without the syrup.
HI Jennifer, I add 1/4 of the syrup to each layer x 4 layers. I’m searching for where you found that I didn’t add syrup to the top layer and I’m not seeing it. Please let me know where you saw that so I can correct it if needed.
Just made this for the third year it’s my sons favorite put 22 cherries for 22 years
That’s so great, Lorene!
hello I love this recipe, but I wonder can I half the recipe to make a smaller cake? will it work? I thougth about dividing the mixture to two baking pans but you say we must bake immediately . My oven cannot fit two baking pans and I am afraid the second one will deflate. any suggestions?
Hi Maria, I think it could work fine to cut the recipe in half, just be sure to beat the eggs and sugar sufficiently until the mixture is thick and fluffy and then do not over-mix once the butter is in and bake right away. I hope you love the recipe!
Hi Natasha, can i use any other cherry liquer? can I use strawberries to add to the cherries?
What do I do with the syrup (kirsch where the cherries were soaked) after the cherries have been separated from them? Is that what I use for the cream frosting? This is a request by my wife for her birthday so I want it perfect!
Hi Francis, the cherry liqueur is what we always use, but you could experiment with a different liqueur. You could even use a golden rum. We use the syrup to soak the cake layers to add moisture and flavor. I suppose you could add strawberries but we prefer cherries only for this one.
thanks so much! one more question though, can I use 3 6-inch pans instead of 2 9-inch ones?
thanks and Happy New Year!
Hi Francis, I haven’t tested it that way to be able to give you precise baking instructions but I think that would work – I don’t see why not.