Black Forest Cake is a timeless classic for a reason! This recipe demystifies the creation of a truly decadent homemade version, offering you a delicious guide to replicating that iconic chocolate, cherry, and cream experience right in your own kitchen.
Key Ingredients for Black Forest Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot brewed coffee
- 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
- ¼ cup cherry liqueur or kirsch (optional, but highly recommended)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for whipped cream)
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, for shaving
How to Make Black Forest Cake
Prepare to be amazed by how straightforward it is to craft this layered masterpiece! This Black Forest Cake recipe is designed for home bakers, offering rich chocolate cake, luscious cherry filling, and ethereal whipped cream, all coming together for a truly satisfying dessert. With a preparation time of around 45 minutes and baking time of 30-35 minutes, you’ll be enjoying this showstopper before you know it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. You can also line the bottoms with parchment paper for easier removal.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined and free of lumps.
- Combine Wet Ingredients (Except Coffee): In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed (or by hand) until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Incorporate Hot Coffee: Gradually add the hot brewed coffee to the batter while mixing on low speed until the batter is smooth and glossy. The hot coffee blooms the cocoa powder, intensifying the chocolate flavor and creating a wonderfully moist cake.
- Divide and Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the cakes are fully cooled before frosting.
- Prepare Cherry Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the cherry pie filling with the cherry liqueur or kirsch (if using). Stir well and heat gently over medium-low heat until warmed through. This step amplifies the cherry flavor and makes it more spreadable.
- Prepare Whipped Cream: In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the powdered sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip, or it will turn into butter.
- Assemble the Cake: Once the cakes are completely cool, place one cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. Spoon about half of the warmed cherry filling evenly over the top of this layer.
- Add Whipped Cream: Next, spread a thick, even layer of the whipped cream over the cherry filling.
- Add Second Cake Layer: Carefully place the second cake layer on top of the whipped cream.
- Frost the Cake: Frost the entire top and sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. You can create decorative swirls or keep it smooth, as you prefer.
- Garnish: Using a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife, shave the bittersweet chocolate over the top and sides of the cake. This is the signature Black Forest Cake look! For an extra touch, you can also place a few maraschino cherries or fresh cherries on top.
- Chill: For best results and to allow the flavors to meld, refrigerate the Black Forest Cake for at least 1-2 hours before serving.
Why You’ll Love This Black Forest Cake
You’ll adore this Black Forest Cake because it captures every element of this beloved dessert with incredible ease. The deep, rich chocolate cake layers are perfectly complemented by the sweet and tart cherry filling, all enveloped in clouds of light and airy whipped cream. It’s a sensory delight, offering a satisfying sweetness without being cloying, which is a true testament to the classic balance of flavors.
Making this show-stopping Black Forest Cake at home is not only rewarding but also a fantastic way to save money compared to purchasing a similar quality cake from a bakery. You get to control the ingredients and enjoy the immense satisfaction of creating something so exquisite from scratch. The contrast of the dark chocolate shavings against the bright white cream and ruby red cherries is visually stunning, making it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Don’t wait – gather these simple ingredients and experience the joy of baking your own perfect Black Forest Cake today!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Storing Leftovers:
- Refrigerate any leftover Black Forest Cake in an airtight container.
- The cake will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Due to the whipped cream, this cake is not suitable for freezing.
Final Thoughts
This Black Forest Cake recipe delivers that perfect balance of chocolate, cherry, and cream we all crave. It’s a rewarding bake that’s surprisingly achievable for home cooks. Give it a try and savor every delicious bite!
Black Forest Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. You can also line the bottoms with parchment paper for easier removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined and free of lumps.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth.2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed (or by hand) until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Gradually add the hot brewed coffee to the batter while mixing on low speed until the batter is smooth and glossy. The hot coffee blooms the cocoa powder, intensifying the chocolate flavor and creating a wonderfully moist cake.½ cup hot brewed coffee
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the cakes are fully cooled before frosting.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cherry pie filling with the cherry liqueur or kirsch (if using). Stir well and heat gently over medium-low heat until warmed through. This step amplifies the cherry flavor and makes it more spreadable.1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling, ¼ cup cherry liqueur or kirsch
- In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the powdered sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip, or it will turn into butter.2 cups heavy whipping cream, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once the cakes are completely cool, place one cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. Spoon about half of the warmed cherry filling evenly over the top of this layer.
- Next, spread a thick, even layer of the whipped cream over the cherry filling.
- Carefully place the second cake layer on top of the whipped cream.
- Frost the entire top and sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. You can create decorative swirls or keep it smooth, as you prefer.
- Using a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife, shave the bittersweet chocolate over the top and sides of the cake. This is the signature Black Forest Cake look! For an extra touch, you can also place a few maraschino cherries or fresh cherries on top.2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- For best results and to allow the flavors to meld, refrigerate the Black Forest Cake for at least 1-2 hours before serving.