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real black forest cake

(4 ratings)
cyrene avatar
Recipe by
Linda Kauppinen
@cyrene
Greenwood, FL

This is the real deal. No short cuts here and a labor of love! This was my great grandmother's recipe from Austria, and passed down. I only make THIS cake when I have the time set aside to do it. But well worth it when I do. Sooooo delish! Extremely labor intensive. I needed to add this as my mother let me know that "True" Black Forest Cakes are garnished with black cherries.TIP: if black cherries are not available, use glacee cherries dipped in melted chocolate. But we always used marachino cherries as they were always readily available.

(4 ratings)
yield 16 (thin slices)
prep time 3 Hr
cook time 1 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For real black forest cake

  • PLEASE GO OVER ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE STARTING THIS CAKE. VERY IMPORTANT!
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT SUBSTITUTE INGREDIENTS!!!!!
  • CAKE INGREDIENTS
  • 2 c
    boiling water
  • 1 c
    unsweetened cocoa (do not use powdered as it will cause the cake to be dry)
  • 1 c
    butter (room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 c
    sugar
  • 4 lg
    eggs
  • 2 2/3 c
    flour - sifted
  • 2 tsp
    baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • CHERRY FILLING INGREDIENTS
  • 1 can
    dark sweet cherries (pitted), drained - reserving syrup
  • 4 tsp
    cornstarch or arrowroot
  • 1/2 c
    reserved cherry syrup
  • 1/3 c
    kirsch syrup
  • CHOCOLATE CREAM FILLING INGREDIENTS
  • 1 - 4 oz
    bar german sweet chocolate
  • 1 c
    heavy cream, whipped
  • KIRSCH SYRUP INGREDIENTS
  • 1/3 c
    kiirsch cherry liqueur
  • 1/2 c
    sugar
  • 2/3 c
    water
  • KIRSCH CREAM FILLING INGREDIENTS (PREPARE ONLY JUST BEFORE YOU ARE READY TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE)
  • 2 tsp
    plain gelatin
  • 3 Tbsp
    kirsch syrup
  • 2 c
    heavy cream
  • 1/3 c
    confectioners sugar
  • GARNISHINGS & MISC
  • german sweet chocolate curls, chilled
  • 1 jar
    marachino cherries with stems drained and rinsed
  • 1 bottle
    kirsch liqueur

How To Make real black forest cake

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease and line with wax paper 3 - 9 inch round layer pans. Pour boiling water over cocoa and mix until smooth, and then cool. Cream butter and vanilla together. Add sugar gradually, then the eggs beating them in one at a time. Continue beating until very light. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with cocoa mixture. Beating just until combined. Divide batter equally in the 3 - 9" layer pans and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pans and turn onto racks. Cool to room temperature. Cut each layer in half horizontally making a total of 6 layers. Spray or mist the top of each layer with a little Kirsch Syrup.
  • 2
    Kirsh Syrup: Bring to a boil 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 cup water. Boil uncovered over medium heat for 5 minutes. Cool to lukewarm, add 1/3 cup of Kirsch Liqueur.
  • 3
    Chocolate Cream Filling: Melt 1 (4oz) bar German Sweet Chocolate, then cool to room temperature. Fold gently into 1 cup heavy cream, whipped. Chill until needed.
  • 4
    Cherry Filling: Drain 1 (1 pound) can of dark sweet cherries, pitted. Reserve 1/2 cup of the syrup. Cut the cherries in halves and pour over them 1/3 cup Kirsch syrup. **NOTE: Let this stand 1/2 hour to 4 hours (The longer they stand the more pronounced the Kirsch flavor)** Mix 4 teaspoons of cornstarch or arrowroot and reserved 1/2 cup cherry syrup. Stir in cherries and Kirsch. Cook overlow heat until mixture starts to boil. Cook a few minutes longer, stirring. Chill covered in refrigerator until thickened.
  • 5
    Kirsch Cream Filling **prepare this only right before you are ready to assemble the cake** Soak 2 teaspoons plain gelatin in 3 Tablespoons of Kirsch, then dissolve over hot water. Whip 2 cups heavy cream until it thickens and holds shape. quickly beat in 1/3 cup sifted confectioners sugar. Beat about 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into gelatin, then fold gelatin mixture into rest of whipped cream.
  • 6
    To Assemble Cake: You should have already cut each cake in half horizontally and sprayed or misted each layer with the Kirsch syrup. Place one layer on your serving plate and cover with 1/4 of the Kirsch Cream. Set a second layer on top and cover with 1/2 of the Chocolate Cream. Set a third layer on top and spread with another 1/4 of the Kirsch Cream Set a fourth layer on top and cover with the remaining 1/2 of the Chocolate Cream. Cover with fifth layer and spread on the Cherry Filling. Top with the sixth layer and spread top and sides with remaining 1/2 of Kirsch Cream.
  • 7
    Garnish by gently pressing chilled chocolage curls on the sides of cake and sprinkle a few on top. Arrange the Marachino Cherries on top of the cake. Refrigerate before serving. ENJOY!
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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