German Black Forest Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of two greased 9-in. round baking pans; grease paper., In a large bowl, beat milk, eggs, oil and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into milk mixture., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., Meanwhile, for filling, drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. In a small saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch and reserved juice; add cherries. Cook and stir over low heat 10-12 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in brandy. Cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form., Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Top with 1-1/2 cups whipped cream. Spread 3/4 cup filling to within 1 in. of edge. Repeat twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining whipped cream, reserving some to pipe decorations, if desired. Spoon remaining filling onto top of cake. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper circles. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and 1 teaspoons salt. Set aside.
• Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat into flour mixture, alternating with 1 cup buttermilk, until combined. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool completely. Remove paper from the cakes. Using a thin but sturdy string (dental floss works well), wrap the string around one of the cakes at the halfway mark, horizontally. Tie the string once and pull slowly, cutting through the cake forming two layers. Repeat on other cake. Sprinkle cut side of each layer with kirsch.
• In a medium bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add confectioners sugar, pinch of salt, and coffee, beat adding buttermilk as needed for consistency. Place first layer of cake on plate(cut side down works best for frosting). Spread with 1/3 of the filling. Top with 1/3 of the cherries. Repeat with remaining layers.
• In a seperate bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Beat in 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 TBS kirsch. Frost top and sides of cake. Decorate with chocolate shavings made with a vegetable peeler on chocolate.

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE: Add cream of tartar to the egg whites and beat at high speed until foamy. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
• Beat 3/4 cup sugar together with egg yolks.
• Sift together dry ingredients. Add to the egg yolk mixture ALTERNATELY with the fruit juice or water, orange peel and flavouring. Mix until blended and beat 1 minutes. Batter will be stiff. Put a large spoonful of egg whites into the batter and beat to make batter a little less stiffer and then FOLD in the rest of the egg whites gently.
• Pour batter into 2 (8 or 9-inch) layer cake pans (or use springform pans) (I like to put parchment paper on bottom of pan) and bake in preheated 350°F oven until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan and gently go round with knife and remove from pan and slice to make 4 layers.
• Sprinkle each layer of chocolate sponge cake with cherry liqueur.
• Blend the butter, icing sugar and coffee until creamy and spreadable. Spread 1/3 over bottom layer of cake. Press 1/3 cherries into this filling. Place another cake layer on top and repeat. Put fourth layer on top.
• Whip the cream. Add 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Slather whipped cream on top and sides of cake. Decorate with a few cherries add chocolate curls. Pipe rosettes around cake and add a cherry on top of each rosette and decorate in centre with chocolate curls.
• Edna Staebler--Recipes Only.