Decadent Black Forest Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 2.13 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 0.75 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.75 teaspoon baking soda
• 0.75 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 (20 ounce) cans pitted sour cherries
• 1 cup white sugar
• 0.25 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 0.33 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Gather all your ingredients for this delicious cake.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Chill a medium bowl in the refrigerator – you'll need it for whipping the cream later.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract; mix until well combined.
5. Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and carefully invert them onto the racks to cool completely (1-2 hours).
7. While the cake layers are baking, drain the cherries, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the reserved cherry juice, cherries, sugar, and cornstarch.
8. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the vanilla extract. Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely before assembling the cake.
9. For the frosting: In the chilled medium bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream and confectioners' sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
10. Using a long serrated knife, carefully split each cake layer in half horizontally.
11. Tear one of the cake layers into crumbs and set aside.
12. Gently brush any loose crumbs off the top and sides of the remaining cake layers using a pastry brush or your hands. Reserve 1 ½ cups of frosting for piping decorations; set aside.
13. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread with 1 cup of frosting, then top with 3/4 cup of the cherry topping.
14. Top with the second cake layer. Repeat the layers of frosting and cherry topping.
15. Place the third cake layer on top and frost the sides of the cake.
16. Press the reserved cake crumbs onto the sides of the cake.
17. Transfer the reserved 1 ½ cups of frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a star decorator tip. Pipe decorations around the top and bottom edges of the cake.
18. Spoon the remaining cherry topping evenly over the top of the cake.
19. Store the cake, covered, in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it. Enjoy this classic treat!

Nutrition

• Calories: 662 kcal
• Fat Content: 34 g
• Fiber Content: 3 g
• Sugar Content: 62 g
• Sodium Content: 342 mg
• Protein Content: 8 g
• Cholesterol Content: 130 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 87 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 16 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g