Black Forest Chocolate Cherries

I baked my first Black Forest cake on a cold Saturday in December, mostly because I wanted an excuse to buy a bottle of kirsch. The kitchen smelled like melted chocolate and cherry syrup for hours. My friend showed up early and watched me wrestle with a vegetable peeler, trying to coax curls from a cold chocolate bar. We ate warm cake scraps straight from the cooling rack. That cake wasn't perfect, but it tasted like every winter celebration I'd ever wanted to host.

I made this for my neighbor's birthday once, and she told me it reminded her of a bakery her grandmother used to take her to in Stuttgart. She described the way they'd cut thick slices and serve them on tiny plates with silver forks. I'd never been to Germany, but I felt like I'd given her a small piece of home. That's when I realized this cake is more than dessert, it's a bridge to memory.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: Sifting it with the cocoa keeps the crumb tender and prevents lumps in the batter.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use a good quality Dutch-process cocoa for deeper, smoother chocolate flavor without bitterness.
• Boiling water: This blooms the cocoa and makes the batter thin, but trust it, the cake bakes up moist and fluffy.
• Dark sweet cherries: Jarred Morello cherries in light syrup are traditional and easier to find than fresh.
• Kirsch: This cherry brandy adds authentic flavor, but you can skip it and the cake still shines.
• Heavy whipping cream: It must be cold or it won't whip properly, so keep it in the fridge until the last moment.
• Dark chocolate: A cold bar peels into shavings easily, warm chocolate just crumbles.

Instructions

Prepare the pans:

Grease the pans well and line the bottoms with parchment circles so the cakes release cleanly. I learned this after prying out a cracked layer with a spatula.

Mix the dry ingredients:

Sift everything together to aerate the cocoa and prevent pockets of powder in the batter. It takes an extra minute but makes a real difference.

Combine wet ingredients:

Beat the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla into the dry mix until smooth. The batter will look thick at first, then loosen up beautifully when you add the boiling water.

Bake the cakes:

Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely before slicing.

Make the cherry filling:

Simmer the cherries with juice and sugar, then thicken with cornstarch slurry. Stir in the kirsch off the heat so the alcohol doesn't cook off completely.

Whip the cream:

Beat cold cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Don't overbeat or it'll turn grainy.

Slice the layers:

Use a long serrated knife to carefully halve each cake horizontally. Go slow and rotate the cake as you cut for even layers.

Assemble the cake:

Brush each layer with cherry syrup, then spread cherry filling and whipped cream. Stack gently and frost the top and sides with the remaining cream.

Decorate and chill:

Scatter chocolate shavings over the top and arrange cherries around the edge. Chill for at least an hour so the layers set and the flavors come together.

Pin It

One evening, I brought this cake to a potluck and set it on the dessert table next to brownies and cookies. People kept circling back to it, and by the end of the night, only a few crumbs remained. A friend asked if I'd bought it from a bakery. I didn't correct him right away, I just smiled and enjoyed the moment.

Choosing Your Cherries

Fresh cherries are lovely in summer, but jarred Morello or Amarena cherries give you that deep, tart flavor year-round. If you're using canned cherries, drain them well and taste the syrup before adding sugar, some brands are already quite sweet. I've also used frozen cherries in a pinch, just thaw and drain them first so the filling doesn't get watery.

Getting Clean Layers

The secret to slicing cake layers evenly is to mark the midpoint with toothpicks all around the cake, then use those as a guide while you saw gently with a serrated knife. I used to eyeball it and end up with lopsided tiers. Now I take my time, and the layers stack like a dream. If a layer cracks, don't panic, the whipped cream hides almost everything.

Make-Ahead and Storage

You can bake the cake layers a day ahead, wrap them tightly in plastic, and store at room temperature. The cherry filling also keeps in the fridge for up to three days. Assemble the cake a few hours before serving and keep it chilled. Leftovers stay fresh in the fridge for up to three days, covered loosely with plastic wrap.

• Freeze unfrosted cake layers for up to a month, wrapped well.
• Don't freeze assembled cake, the whipped cream doesn't thaw nicely.
• Add chocolate shavings just before serving so they stay crisp.

Pin It

This cake turns any occasion into something worth remembering. Whether you're celebrating or just craving something special on a quiet Sunday, it delivers every time.

Recipe FAQs

→ What kind of cherries work best for this dessert?

Fresh or jarred dark sweet cherries work well. Using sour cherries in syrup adds a traditional tangy flavor.

→ Can I make this dessert without alcohol?

Yes, simply omit kirsch and boost the cherry syrup for sweetness and moisture.

→ How do I achieve stiff peaks in the whipped cream?

Chill your bowl and beaters before whipping cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until firm peaks hold shape.

→ What is the best way to get chocolate shavings for decoration?

Use a vegetable peeler on a cold chocolate bar to create delicate, thin shavings for the topping.

→ How long should the layers cool before assembly?

Allow cake layers to cool completely on wire racks, about 1 hour, to prevent melting the filling or cream.

→ Can I prepare this dessert in advance?

Yes, chilling for at least an hour helps layers meld and enhances the flavors before serving.