Servings
Font
Back
0 from 0 votes

Black Forest

Black Forest (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte) is a German pastry, a cocoa sponge cake filled with whipped cream and cherries.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Resting Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 554 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: German

Ingredients

For the sponge cake
  • 4 eggs , at room temperature
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • ½ cup flour , sifted
  • ½ cup cornstarch (or potato starch)
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder , 100% cocoa
  • 1 pinch salt
  • butter , for the mold
  • flour , for the mold
For the whipped cream
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • A few drops vanilla extract
Cherries
  • 8 oz. Morello cherries in syrup keep 6 oz. of syrup
  • For the Syrup
  • 6 oz. canned sour cherry syrup
  • 3 tablespoons kirsch
For the decor
  • dark chocolate shavings
Equipment
  • Electric whisk
  • springform cake pan 8 inches / 20 cm in diameter
  • Culinary robot
  • Spatula
  • pastry bag
  • Piping tip plain or fluted

Instructions

Genoese
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180°C).
  2. Sift together the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and cocoa. Set aside.
  3. Separate the eggs.
  4. In a bowl, using an electric whisk, beat the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture whitens.
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff with a pinch of salt.
  6. Add a quarter of the egg whites to the sugar and yolk mixture, and a tablespoon of water. Beat for 5 minutes.
  7. Add the mixture of cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and cocoa. Mix well.
  8. Using a spatula, gently fold in the rest of the egg whites, being careful not to break them.
  9. Butter and flour an 8 inch (20 cm) springform cake pan, and pour the sponge cake mixture into it.
  10. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 F (180°C).
  11. Check for doneness with a wooden skewer. It should come out dry.
  12. Leave to cool completely then unmold.
Cream
  1. As soon as the sponge cake begins to cook, pour the whipping cream into a container along with the whisk and place them in the freezer.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the cream more and more quickly until obtaining a firm cream.
  3. Add the sugar and the natural vanilla extract and mix.
Assembly
  1. Mix the kirsch and the cherry preserve syrup.
  2. Unmold the sponge cake and cut it into 3 equal discs.
  3. The base of the cake is the first third of the sponge cake. Generously apply a third of the syrup with a brush.
  4. Spread about ½ inch (1 cm) of cream on top and place a few cherries over the entire surface.
  5. Place the second disc of sponge cake on top, brush with syrup, add cream, and again place a few morello cherries over the entire surface.
  6. Finally, place the last disc of sponge cake, brush with syrup, and add cream.
  7. Sprinkle the entire surface with chocolate shavings without forgetting the sides.
  8. Using a pastry bag fitted with a piping tip, place small domes of cream and place a morello cherry in the center.
  9. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving.