Black Forest Gateau: How To Make German Black Forest Cherry Cake

In Germany it is typical to sit at a cafe and enjoy a slice of German Black Forest Cake, or, as mentioned on the menu, Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte with a good cup of freshly brewed coffee. This cake in Germany is so famous it is found in most bakeries, restaurants and coffee shops. Sometimes the supermarkets sell them fresh as well.

The cake’s texture is incredibly soft and packed with Kirsch, the famous cherry liqueur. The filling is filled with juicy Kirsch infused cherries and freshly whipped cream, so you get a beautiful burst of deliciousness at every bite!

A neat trick involves using canned cherries that are in a liquid. Fresh cherries just don’t fit well, unless you soak them long enough to soften them and make them juicy.

German Black Forest Cherry Cake

Author: Romae Chanice Marquez
Recipe Category: Dessert
Cuisine: German

This recipe will take about an hour to make. This recipe will make enough to serve eight.

Photo credit: viltwin.kitchen

German Black Forest Cherry Cake Ingredients

For the cake,

1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups of sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling,

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) pitted tart cherries
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons cherry brandy or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the whipped cream,

3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

German Black Forest Cherry Cake Instructions

Step 1: Oven preheats to 350 °F. You will need to either grease or line two 9-inch round baking bans.

Step 2: Beat the milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Then, slowly beat the flour into the mixture of milk.

Step 3: Pour the batter into the banking pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing them to wire racks, cool in pans.

Step 4: Meanwhile, mash the cherries for filling, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and reserved juice in a small saucepan, then, add the cherries. Cook and stir 10-12 minutes over low heat, or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and pour in the cherry brandy.

Step 5: Beat cream in a large tub. Before it begins thickening, add the confectioner’s sugar. Beat the mixture until the peaks are firm.

Step 6: Cut each cake horizontally in half, using a long, tightened knife. Place one layer of cake on a serving platter. Then, cover a layer with some of the whipped cream and liquid mixture.

Step 7: Repeat two times with the remaining layers. Complete with an extra layer of cake. Frost the top and cake sides with the remaining whipped cream. You can reserve some, if necessary, for pipe decoration. Chill until served.

German Black Forest Cherry Cake Additional Information

The Kirsch doesn’t overwhelm your senses, but you can tell it’s there. Cherry brandy will do the job as well.
If you are making this cake for kids, you can remove the Kirsch and add 1 Tbsp of sugar to the cherry syrup.
This recipe will take about an hour to create.
This recipe will make enough cake for eight servings.

Image source: goodiegodmother.com

About German Black Forest Cherry Cake Recipe

According to one school of thought, the name derives from that region’s specialty liquor, known as Schwarzwälder Kirsch that is distilled from tart cherries. This is the ingredient that gives the dessert its flavor, with its distinctive cherry pit taste and alcoholic content.

Cherries, cream, and Kirsch were first mixed in the form of a dessert where cooked cherries were served with cream. In contrast, a cake combining cherries, cookies or biscuits, and cream (but without kirschwasser) possibly originated in Germany.