Free Chocolate Black Forest Cake Recipe

INGREDIENTS :

• ½ cup (110 g) butter, softened
• 1+¼ cup (275 g) sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1+¼ cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup (1.8 dl) buttermilk
• ¼ cup Kirschwasser (Kirsch/cherry brandy), optional
• 2 cans (14 oz or 400 g) cherry pie filling or pitted cherries
• 3 cups (7.2 dl) heavy whipping cream, chilled
• ¼ cup confectioners' sugar
• Milk chocolate curls or shavings, for garnish
• Maraschino cherries or sweet cherries, for garnish, optional

PREPARATION :

STEP : 1

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
• Line a 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with greaseproof or other non-stick paper.
• With an electric mixer, beat the softened butter with sugar until white and fluffy.
• Add one egg at a time, mix well between each egg.
• Add sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and buttermilk, and mix until the batter is smooth.
• Transfer to a cake pan and bake at 350 degrees just until set in the middle, approximately 45-60 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Do not over-bake!
• When cake is cool, use a long serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. It is easier to cut if kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.

STEP : 2

• Drain cherry pie filling in a colander to remove most of the thickened juices.
• Beat the whipping cream with confectioners' sugar until it thickens.
• Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate; refrigerate until the cake is assembled.

STEP : 3

• Sprinkle each layer of the cake with Kirschwasser.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
• Spread about one fifth of the whipped cream on the layer, and strew half of the cherries on top of the whipped cream.
• Add the second cake layer.
• Spread one fifth of the whipped cream on the second layer and the remaining cherries on top.
• Add the third cake layer.
• Spread one fifth of the whipped cream on top and one fifth on the sides. Gently press chocolate curls on the sides and/or on top of the cake.

STEP : 4

• You may substitute the cherry pie filling with cherry jam. In that case spread first the jam on the cake layers, then whipped cream on top.
• You may use three cake tins intead of one. In that case the baking time must be shortened.
• If cake flour is used, the cake comes out much fluffier.