Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake is a show-stopping dessert. Rich chocolate cake is moistened with an extra flavorful cherry syrup and then layered with freshly whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate shavings in this recipe. It's great for a special holiday or a summer picnic.

If you find yourself looking to expand your dessert repertoire, this Black Forest Cake will not disappoint.

What Is Black Forest Cake?

Black Forest Cake is based on the German dessert "Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte," which translates to "Black Forest Cherry-torte." Though some may think Black Forest Cake is named after a mountain range in the country, that is actually a myth. It's named after the kirsch made from Black Forest Cherries. If the cake doesn't have the kirsch, it can't be called Black Forest.

Fresh, Canned, or Frozen Cherries for Black Forest Cake

For this recipe, I prefer to use either frozen or fresh cherries. I would stay away from canned cherries.

I call for sweet cherries in the ingredient list because they are easier to find, but sour cherries are more traditional. If you use a sour variety, I'd recommend increasing the sugar a bit to help compensate for the differing levels of sweetness. Or you could do a combo if you really want—it's up to you!

I'm generally not a big fan of canned or jarred fruit—outside of quality maraschino cherries like Luxardo, which are great for decorating this cake if using frozen cherries for the filling and if fresh cherries are out of season.

However, I have seen other versions of this cake made with canned or jarred cherries. If you’re in a pinch go ahead and use them, but this recipe has not been tested for that swap. You may need to reduce the sugar to compensate for the extra sweetness in canned and jarred fruit.

Swaps and Substitutions

• Kirschwasser or kirsch is a clear cherry brandy. It enhances the cherry flavor of the syrup used to brush the cake layers for Black Forest Cake. If you don't want to buy a whole bottle just for this recipe, you can substitute another brandy or even rum.
• To make the syrup non-alcoholic: Use a bit of almond extract in its place or simply omit the kirschwasser altogether.

Tips and Tricks for Making Whipped Cream

You want your ingredients and equipment to be as cold as possible to make whipping the cream easier. Don't let heavy cream sit on your counter while you get things ready. Place your bowl and whisk—both preferably metal—in the freezer for 30 minutes or more to get nice and chilled.

If you want to make and layer this cake more than one day in advance, the whipped cream could weep. A great way to ensure that your whipped cream lasts longer is to stabilize it. There are a few different ways to do this, but one of the best is gelatin.

To stabilize whipped cream using gelatin, “bloom” unflavored gelatin in a little bit of water. Heat it in a microwave until melted. Then add the melted gelatin into the cream while it's whipping and it will remain strong and full of air.

• For step by step instructions on how to make stabilized whipped cream read our post on How to Make Whipped Cream and scroll to the section, “How to Keep Whipped Cream from ‘Melting’”

How to Make Black Forest Cake Ahead of Time

You can make the cake rounds one or two days ahead of when you plan to assemble and serve the cake. (Don't cut them in half or brush with the cherry syrup.)

• To store the cake rounds: Tightly wrap each cooled cake round individually in plastic wrap then refrigerate until needed.
• To freeze the cake rounds: Tightly wrap in an additional layer of foil and freeze the cakes for up to three months.

How Far Ahead Can You Assemble the Cake

Because this cake is naked, meaning the sides aren’t frosted and the cake layers are exposed, there is a greater chance of it drying out. Also, whipped cream breaks down over time, unless you stabilize it, so it’s best to assemble this cake close to when you plan to serve it.

But if you absolutely need to, you can assemble it up to a day ahead. Take these steps to ensure success.

• Brush the edges of the cake with the cherry syrup to help keep it moist.
• Use stabilized whipped cream to be on the safe side.
• Wrap plastic wrap or parchment paper around the outside of the cake between assembly and serving.

How to Store Black Forest Cake?

Once assembled this cake is best stored in the fridge because whipped cream tends to weep if left at room temperature for too long.

I recommend waiting to assemble the cake until as close to serving time as possible. For anyone who needs to fully assemble the cake more than a few hours in advance, be sure to follow the steps listed above for assembling this cake in advance.

When serving, it depends on the temperature and how long you plan to take between slices whether it should be stored in the fridge. If it's particularly warm and/or there will be about an hour or more before the next slice, I'd recommend storing it in the fridge.

Once sliced, place plastic wrap or parchment against the cut side of the cake to keep it from drying out. Once done serving, be sure to return the cake to the fridge.

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