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–+ servings
Slice of Black Forest cake with chocolate layers, whipped cream, and cherries.

Black Forest cake

A traditional German Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte) with moist chocolate layers, whipped cream, and cherries. Perfect for parties and surprisingly easy to make at home.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Assembly & Cooling 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups All-purpose flour Can substitute gluten-free flour blend - Can substitute gluten-free flour blend
  • ¾ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder Sifted for best results - Sifted for best results
  • 2 cups Sugar White granulated - White granulated
  • 2 large Eggs Room temperature - Room temperature
  • ½ cup Vegetable oil Or melted butter/applesauce - Or melted butter/applesauce
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup Hot coffee Or hot water/milk - Or hot water/milk
  • 2 cups Heavy cream For whipping - For whipping
  • ½ cup Powdered sugar Or finely blended regular sugar - Or finely blended regular sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 Cherries in juice - Drain, reserve juice
  • 2 tablespoon Kirsch liqueur Optional - mix with cherry juice
  • 1 bar Dark chocolate - For shaving on top

Equipment

  • 3 8-inch round cake pans (Grease well, or bake in batches if you have fewer pans
  • 1 Electric mixer (Hand or stand mixer both work)
  • 2-3 Large mixing bowls (For dry, wet, and whipped cream0
  • 1 Rubber spatula (For folding and scraping bowls)
  • 2-3 Wire cooling racks (Helps layers cool evenly)
  • 1 Serrated knife (For trimming or leveling cake layers)
  • 1 Offset spatula (For spreading whipped cream smoothly)
  • 1 Vegetable peeler (For shaving chocolate)
  • 1 Toothpick (For poking holes to soak syrup (optional but recommended))

Method
 

  1. Mix flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk eggs and oil, combine with dry mixture, then stir in hot coffee.
    Hands whisking chocolate cake batter in a large mixing bowl
  2. Divide batter into 3 greased pans and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.
  3. Drain cherries and reserve juice. Mix juice with kirsch if using. Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
    Bowl of cherry filling topped with whipped cream and surrounded by fresh cherries on a marble surface.
  4. Place first cake layer on serving plate, brush with syrup, spread whipped cream, and add cherries. Repeat with remaining layers.
  5. Cover cake with remaining cream, top with chocolate shavings, and chill for 1–2 hours before serving.
    Slice of Black Forest cake with layers of chocolate sponge, whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate shavings, topped with whole cherries.

Nutrition

Serving: 150gCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 5gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 310mgFiber: 3gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 600IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 3mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

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