Decadent Black Forest Cake Recipe

This Black Forest Cake recipe is a delightful combination of rich chocolate cake, whipped cream, and cherries. It’s a popular dessert that brings together layers of moist chocolate sponge and a luscious cherry filling, making it a favorite for celebrations.

The cake recipe is straightforward and can be made in several steps, allowing you to impress your guests with a stunning dessert that tastes as good as it looks.

This Black Forest Cake features layers of chocolate cake filled with sweetened whipped cream and cherries, topped with more whipped cream and chocolate shavings. The recipe takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from start to finish and serves 10 people.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 jar (24 oz) Morello cherries, drained and juice reserved
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for whipped cream)
Chocolate shavings for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water until well combined.
Bake the Cakes: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans to cool completely on wire racks.
Prepare the Whipped Cream: In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
Assemble the Cake: Once the cakes are cool, slice each cake in half horizontally to create four layers. Place one layer on a serving plate, drizzle with reserved cherry juice, spread a layer of whipped cream, and add a layer of cherries. Repeat with the next two layers.
Top the Cake: Place the final layer on top, cover the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream, and garnish with chocolate shavings and additional cherries.
Serve: Slice and serve the Black Forest Cake chilled. Enjoy!