real black forest cake
This is the real deal. No short cuts here and a labor of love! This was my great grandmother's recipe from Austria, and passed down. I only make THIS cake when I have the time set aside to do it. But well worth it when I do. Sooooo delish! Extremely labor intensive. I needed to add this as my mother let me know that "True" Black Forest Cakes are garnished with black cherries.TIP: if black cherries are not available, use glacee cherries dipped in melted chocolate. But we always used marachino cherries as they were always readily available.
prep time
3 Hr
cook time
1 Hr
method
Bake
yield
16 (thin slices)
Ingredients
- PLEASE GO OVER ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE STARTING THIS CAKE. VERY IMPORTANT!
- IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT SUBSTITUTE INGREDIENTS!!!!!
- CAKE INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa (do not use powdered as it will cause the cake to be dry)
- 1 cup butter (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 2/3 cups flour - sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- CHERRY FILLING INGREDIENTS
- 1 can dark sweet cherries (pitted), drained - reserving syrup
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1/2 cup reserved cherry syrup
- 1/3 cup kirsch syrup
- CHOCOLATE CREAM FILLING INGREDIENTS
- 1 - 4 ounces bar german sweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
- KIRSCH SYRUP INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup kiirsch cherry liqueur
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- KIRSCH CREAM FILLING INGREDIENTS (PREPARE ONLY JUST BEFORE YOU ARE READY TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE)
- 2 teaspoons plain gelatin
- 3 tablespoons kirsch syrup
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
- GARNISHINGS & MISC
- - german sweet chocolate curls, chilled
- 1 jar marachino cherries with stems drained and rinsed
- 1 bottle kirsch liqueur
How To Make real black forest cake
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Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease and line with wax paper 3 - 9 inch round layer pans. Pour boiling water over cocoa and mix until smooth, and then cool. Cream butter and vanilla together. Add sugar gradually, then the eggs beating them in one at a time. Continue beating until very light. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with cocoa mixture. Beating just until combined. Divide batter equally in the 3 - 9" layer pans and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pans and turn onto racks. Cool to room temperature. Cut each layer in half horizontally making a total of 6 layers. Spray or mist the top of each layer with a little Kirsch Syrup.
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Step 2Kirsh Syrup: Bring to a boil 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 cup water. Boil uncovered over medium heat for 5 minutes. Cool to lukewarm, add 1/3 cup of Kirsch Liqueur.
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Step 3Chocolate Cream Filling: Melt 1 (4oz) bar German Sweet Chocolate, then cool to room temperature. Fold gently into 1 cup heavy cream, whipped. Chill until needed.
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Step 4Cherry Filling: Drain 1 (1 pound) can of dark sweet cherries, pitted. Reserve 1/2 cup of the syrup. Cut the cherries in halves and pour over them 1/3 cup Kirsch syrup. **NOTE: Let this stand 1/2 hour to 4 hours (The longer they stand the more pronounced the Kirsch flavor)** Mix 4 teaspoons of cornstarch or arrowroot and reserved 1/2 cup cherry syrup. Stir in cherries and Kirsch. Cook overlow heat until mixture starts to boil. Cook a few minutes longer, stirring. Chill covered in refrigerator until thickened.
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Step 5Kirsch Cream Filling **prepare this only right before you are ready to assemble the cake** Soak 2 teaspoons plain gelatin in 3 Tablespoons of Kirsch, then dissolve over hot water. Whip 2 cups heavy cream until it thickens and holds shape. quickly beat in 1/3 cup sifted confectioners sugar. Beat about 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into gelatin, then fold gelatin mixture into rest of whipped cream.
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Step 6To Assemble Cake: You should have already cut each cake in half horizontally and sprayed or misted each layer with the Kirsch syrup. Place one layer on your serving plate and cover with 1/4 of the Kirsch Cream. Set a second layer on top and cover with 1/2 of the Chocolate Cream. Set a third layer on top and spread with another 1/4 of the Kirsch Cream Set a fourth layer on top and cover with the remaining 1/2 of the Chocolate Cream. Cover with fifth layer and spread on the Cherry Filling. Top with the sixth layer and spread top and sides with remaining 1/2 of Kirsch Cream.
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Step 7Garnish by gently pressing chilled chocolage curls on the sides of cake and sprinkle a few on top. Arrange the Marachino Cherries on top of the cake. Refrigerate before serving. ENJOY!
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
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