Black Forest Cake From Scratch

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#28316

This twist on the classic German Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte) is made from scratch with layers of chocolate cake, a sweet cherry filling, cocoa whipped cream, and a mocha icing.

serves/makes:

ready in:
30-60 minutes

ingredients

Cake
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
2 cans (14 ounce size) cherries, drained (reserve juice and some cherries for garnish)
1/4 cup Kirsch liqueur or sherry
reserved cherry juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Whipped Cream
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup prepared coffee

Chocolate Curls
1 ounce semisweet chocolate

directions

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat eggs in mixing bowl until frothy. Gradually add sugar beating until light colored and thick.

Sift flour and cocoa over batter at a time. Gently fold in after each addition. Fold butter and vanilla in gradually. Divide batter among 3 greased round 8 inch pans. Bake in oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until and inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Turn onto racks to cool.

FILLING: After draining cherries remove the whole cherries for garnish and cut the rest in half, removing stones. Reserve 15 to 20 halves to press into icing rims. Sprinkle kirsch over cake layers. Use more if you like.

Put cherry juice, cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice into small saucepan. Whisk together over medium heat until it boils and thickens. Cool. Stir in cherry halves.

WHIPPED CREAM: Beat cream in mixing bowl until fairly thick. Add cocoa, sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff.

ICING: Mix all ingredients together well adding small amounts of icing sugar or coffee as needed to make proper consistency for piping. Now pipe a rim of icing around outside edge of 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spoon thickened cherries in center. Press a few cherry halves down slightly in icing rim. Spoon about 1/3 whipped cream over top. Repeat with second layer.

Spread remaining icing on third layer and place on top. Cover with remaining 1/3 whipped cream. Garnish with whole cherries arranged in a circle.

CHOCOLATE CURLS: Warm chocolate square slightly. Using vegetable peeler, peel chocolate forming curls. Put these in center of cherries.