Black Forest Cake

- Submitted by Dahlia

(Blackforest Cake, Black Forest Gâteau, Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, Black Forest Cherry-Torte)

Chocolate cakes were always my favourite right from my childhood days. I still remember the day when one of my roommate in college hostel got me a chocolate cake which I had never tasted or seen before. It was a chocolate cake covered with soft cream and chocolate shavings all around. Layer by layer as I tasted, I enjoyed its every bite. She said the cake was Black Forest Cake. From that day, Black Forest Cake has become my most favourite cake ever.

Even during my pregnancy, I always had an urge to taste this cake and I prefer to go to a bakery nearby to buy it. The baker does makes the Black Forest Cake so perfectly. Spongy, moist (not watery), delicious cake with multiple layers of whipped cream, topped with beautiful red cherries.  He served us the big slice of the cake with a fork as with a warm smile. I relax and take some 10 - 15 minutes to finish a piece. To my wonder, my son is now fond of the same black forest cake. Every year for his birthday, he says “Mamma, I want a blackforest cake ”. Oh! Wow…. I get excited too. I can eat this delicious cake for the next two days.

Ever since my son was born, I started making this cake at home. It comes out perfectly. You will know exactly what all ingredients are there. Black Forest Cake originated in Germany but has become popular throughout the world, especially in India. Birthday celebrations have now become a mandatory in every house which was not the case when I was small. You can make this Black Forest cake at home, get small return gifts (like a pouch with a pencil,eraser or sharpner) for the kids and have a great time. 

Recipe for Black Forest Cake

Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8-12

Ingredients

For Cake

• All Purpose Flour (Maida) - 2 1/4 cup
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - 3/4 cup 
• Instant Coffee Powder - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 cups
• Butter - 1 cup
• Eggs - 3
• Milk - 1/3 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Baking Powder - 1 tsp
• Baking (Cooking) Soda - 2 tsp
• Salt - a pinch
• Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

For Frosting & Topping

• Heavy Whipping Cream (Double Cream) - 3 cups
• Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
• Cherries - 1 can
• Chocolate Bar - 1 (grated/ shaved)
• Chocolate Rice (optional) - as needed

For Syrup

• Water - 1/4 cup 
• Syrup from cherry can - 1/4 cup
• Sugar - 1/3 cup

Method

For the Cake

1. Sieve together the dry ingredients - all purpose flour (maida), cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave. Beat the eggs in a bowl using a hand blender until it becomes very creamy and frothy.
3. Mix together all the wet ingredients (melted butter, sugar, vanilla essence, milk, water and instant coffee powder) along with the beaten eggs.
4. Finally fold in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients in 2-3 parts. Combine with a wooden spoon until you get a smooth batter.
5. Grease two 9" round cake pans with butter and dust some flour and cocoa powder on it and keep it ready.
6. Pour equal quantities of the prepared cake batter into both the pan. Bake it in a oven preheated to 350 degree F (180 C) for about 30-35 minutes. You can also use a single cake pan to bake a big cake and later cut into half.
7. Check if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cake. It should come out clean.
8. Switch off the oven and cool the cake before applying the syrup and frosting.

For the Syrup

1. Pour the cherry syrup and plain water into a small sauce pan.
2. Add the sugar to it and heat until everything combines.
3. Finally add the vanilla essence to the syrup and switch off. (Traditionally a tbsp of rum or cherry brandy is added to the sugar syrup. I do not prefer adding that.)
4. Cool it and keep it ready.

For the Frosting

1. Beat the whipping cream with sugar and vanilla essence until a nice fluffy frosting is ready. (You could also use store bought frozen whipped cream.)

Final Cake Assembling

1. Cut the top to make it flat before applying the frosting.
2. Cut both the cakes laterally into 2 equal halves. Since I am not good at it, I just used one cake on top of the other.
3. Take all the 4 cake pieces and pierce it with a fork at random places. This will help the syrup to penetrate into the cake.
4. Drizzle few spoonfuls of the syrup on each cake piece and let the cake absorb it. This step is very very important to make the cake moist and delicious.
5. Take a cake stand or serving dish and place one piece of cake. Apply a generous amount of frosting and top it with chopped cherries and some choclate shavings.
6. Place the second piece of cake on top and apply the frosting and toppings. Repeat the same with the 3rd and 4th slices of cake.
7. Apply the remaining frosting gererously on top of the cake and on all the sides of the assembled cake.
8. Sprinkle chocolate shavings (grated chocolate bar) and chocolate rice (or sprinkles) on top and all around the cake.
9. Top the cake with cherries. Yummy black forest cake is ready.