Black Forest Cake is a staple, more so eaten as little kids; something about nostalgia and how mums make it is all that more worth it. 

The cherry on top of the black forest is probably everyone's favourite, but what about the epic chocolate sponge or the layers of fresh cream and grated chocolate? Indeed that had to be the icing on the cake :) 

To keep the tradition, its a super easy cake to make; instead of using those soaked cherries in juice, use real ones instead; if you can get your hands on them, that is. You can make a cherry syrup that will complement the chocolate sponge and give an added kick, leave out the kirsch if you want it to be alcohol-free and a child-friendly cake. 

Ingredients

  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 250g caster sugar
  • 65g cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 110ml vegetable oil
  • 240ml buttermilk at room temperature
  • 250ml hot water
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Cherry Syrup:

  • 100g caster sugar
  • 125ml water
  • 35ml kirsch liqueur (optional)

Chantilly cream:

  • 715g whipping cream - cold
  • 30g icing sugar - sifted

Chocolate cage:

Decoration:

  • 340g cherries - stones removed and cut in half
  • 250g dark chocolate - shaved
  • Additional whole cherries

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 175˚C Fan/Gas mark 4. Line 2 8 inch round baking tins with parchment paper, butter the sides and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside. 
  2. Put all the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk all wet ingredients (pour hot water slowly as you don't want to cook the eggs).
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. The batter will be very liquidy.
  5. Pour evenly into the prepared tins.
  6. Bake for 45 mins or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. 
  7. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Cherry Syrup:

  1. Put the sugar and water into a small pan. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 min, then remove from heat. Stir in cherry liqueur and allow to cool completely.

Chantilly cream:

  1. Whip the cream using an electric whisk or a hand balloon whisk. Add the icing sugar and whip to stiff peaks. 

Chocolate cage:

  1. Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie or in the microwave, be sure to stir between each interval as you don't want the chocolate to burn.
  2. Have a sheet of acetate ready, roughly the same height as the cake, just a little a bit taller. 
  3. Make a large piping bag using parchment paper. Pour the chocolate and secure the top by folding it in the opposite direction; you don't want the chocolate to ooze out. Snip the end off.
  4. On the acetate, create lots of squiggly lines, or use a template on how you want the outside to look. 
  5. Allow the chocolate to set on the acetate by carefully transferring it to the fridge. Or if you have a cold kitchen, it can set outside. 

Assembly of cake:

  1. Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
  2. Place one layer of sponge on the cake board. Secure it with a little bit of chantilly cream on the base. Brush generously with cherry syrup. 
  3. Spread a generous amount of whipped cream. Add the cherries on top and gently press into the cream. Repeat with the remaining layers and cover the outside with the leftover chantilly cream.
  4. Decorate with the chocolate cage, shaved chocolate on top, rosettes made with chantilly cream and cherries. 
Homemade black forest cake

The cake is best eaten on the day its made, as it does contain whipped cream. Eat within 2 days. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

If you make this, don't forget to tag us in your photos, we will reshare our social channels.