terryann’s black forest cake

How To Make terryann’s black forest cake

• Step 1
  PREP BEFORE STARTING! 1. Set out 6 eggs to get to room temperature (or put in a bowl with WARM water for 5 minutes, then remove and dry off). 2. Make (1 3/4 cups divided into 1 1/4 cups + 1/2 cups) of caster sugar, if you don’t have it. Just add white granulated sugar to a food processor or blender and pulse for about 30 seconds. Let the dust settle and check. It should be like fine sand, but not powdered sugar! 3. Prepare 3 8” round cake pans by greasing with butter or spraying with cooking spray, then lining with parchment paper. 4. Melt 10 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, then cool to room temperature. Do this right before starting the cake batter. 5. Drain the Morello (sour) cherries, reserving the syrup. 6. Chill the chocolate bar before grating the chocolate or making chocolate curls with a vegetable peeler. Refrigerate chocolate decorations until needed. 7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Step 2
  MAKE THE CAKE BATTER. 1. Stir together the flour and the cocoa powder, then set aside. 2. Beat the eggs in a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment at medium speed (#6) or a hand mixer for 30 seconds, then S-L-O-W-L-Y add 1 1/4 cups of caster sugar. 3. Turn up the mixer speed (to #8) for SEVEN minutes. The mixture will triple in size. Remove from mixer. 4. With a spatula, GENTLY fold in the flour/cocoa mixture until most of the flour disappears. (There is no leavening in this batter, so the air bubbles keep it light. Use a light touch!) 5. GENTLY fold in the melted butter until the batter is smooth 6. Divide the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans. 7. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean 8. Turn out cake layers onto cooling racks, remove parchment, and cool completely.
• Step 3
  MAKE THE CHERRY SYRUP & FILLING: 1. Place the drained Morello cherries in a bowl. Set aside. 2. In a small bowl or cup, mix together 1/4 cup of reserved cherry syrup with 4 teaspoons of corn starch to make a slurry. Set aside. 3. Add 1/3 cup of reserved cherry syrup to a saucepan over medium-low heat and add 1/2 cup of caster sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer while stirring to dissolve the sugar. 4. Add the slurry to the saucepan and return to a simmer. Then cook 1 minute or so until the mixture becomes a THIN syrup. (It must be thin enough to soak into the cakes.) 5. Remove from heat and stir in the Kirsch (cherry liqueur) or add another 1/3 cup of reserved cherry syrup. 6. Pour over the drained Morello cherries and cool.
• Step 4
  MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM RIGHT BEFORE ASSEMBLING THE CAKE: 1. With a mixer and a whisk attachment, beat the cream until soft peaks form. 2. Add the powdered sugar, beat for a minute, then add the vanilla. 3. Continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Chill until needed.
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  Step 5
  ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: 1. Place one cake layer upside down on the serving plate or stand. 2. Brush the cake with 1/4 cup of the cherry syrup from the morello cherries. 3. Spread 1 cup of whipped cream, leaving a 1/2 inch border. 4. Use a slotted spoon to add half of the morello cherries on top of the whipped cream in a single layer. 5. Repeat for the 2nd cake layer on top of the first, with 1/4 cup of syrup brushed on top of the cake, then 1 cup of whipped cream, and the rest of the morello cherries. 6. Add the third layer of cake and brush with syrup. Top with 1 cup of whipped cream. 7. Decorate as desired with additional whipped cream on the sides of the cake or on top, grated or shaved chocolate or chocolate curls on top or the sides, and drained maraschino cherries. 8. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, then take out the cake about 30 minutes before slicing. Refrigerate leftovers.
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