Servings
Font
Back
0 from 30 votes

Black Forest Cake

This decadent Black Forest Cake is loaded with dark cherries and rich chocolate. Every bite is chocolatey, perfectly moist, and totally delicious. [Recipe adapted from Donna Hay Magazine Oct-Nov 2011]

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 632 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: German

Ingredients

CAKE
  • ½ cup butter (110g) softened
  • 1 cup caster sugar (220g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (150g) sifted
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder (40g) sifted
  • 1 ¼ tsp baking powder sifted
  • ½ cup milk
  • 15 oz can of pitted cherries (425g) drained and syrup reserved
CHOCOLATE SHARDS
  • 400 g 70% cocoa dark chocolate melted
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 300 g dark chocolate chopped
FOR SERVING
  • Whipped Cream optional, for serving

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 celsius) Fahrenheit) and grease an 8" (20 cm) spring form pan. 
  2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until light and creamy.
  3. Gradually add the eggs and beat well between each addition.
  4. Fold through the flour, cocoa, baking powder and milk until combined. 
  5. Scatter the cherries through the cake mixture and fold through. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.
  6. To make the chocolate ganache place the cream and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat until melted and smooth. Set aside and let it come to room temperature.
  7. To make the chocolate shards collect some parchment paper, a spatula and a ruler (or something similarly flat). Place 1 large sheet of baking paper on the kitchen bench and pour the melted chocolate over the top. (You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or just in the microwave.) Smooth with a spatula and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Use the side of the ruler to smooth out the chocolate to a smooth even layer, leaving a 2cm border at the edge. Carefully roll the parchment paper into a roll and place into the refrigerator to set.
  8. Cut the cake in half (so you have a top and bottom layer) and drizzle each half of the cake with the reserved cherry syrup. Note I used only half of the syrup, but it's up to you how much you use. Leave the cakes for 30 minute to allow the syrup to soak into the cake.
  9. To assemble the cake, spread ganache over the bottom half of the cake before topping with the top of the cake. Cover the outside of the cake with the ganache, using an angled spatula. Remove the chocolate from the refrigerator and unroll. This will crack the chocolate into shards. Arrange the shards around the cake, pressing into the ganache to secure.
  10. Serve with whipped cream.

Notes

  • Donna's recipe included adding a layer of cream between the layers of cake. I prefer to serve whipped cream on the side.

Nutrition Information

Calories 632kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 59g (20%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 41g (63%) Saturated Fat 24g (120%) Cholesterol 77mg (26%) Sodium 102mg (4%) Potassium 634mg (18%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 35g (70%) Vitamin A 630IU (13%) Vitamin C 2.6mg (3%) Calcium 105mg (11%) Iron 8mg (44%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 632

% Daily Value*

Calories 632kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 59g 20%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 41g 63%
Saturated Fat 24g 120%
Cholesterol 77mg 26%
Sodium 102mg 4%
Potassium 634mg 13%
Fiber 8g 32%
Sugar 35g 70%
Vitamin A 630IU 13%
Vitamin C 2.6mg 3%
Calcium 105mg 11%
Iron 8mg 44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.